VIDEO: Tips for conducting physical exams during telehealth visits

During the virtual ACP Internal Medicine Meeting, Romela Petrosyan, MD, chair-elect of the ACP Council of Resident and Fellow Members, offered “tips and tricks” that physicians can use to optimize telehealth visits.

In this video, Petrosyan, who is also a clinical and research nephrology fellow at Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women’s Hospital, reviews some of the key points of her presentation.

To save time during the telehealth encounter, Petrosyan suggested that heath care staff ask patients to prepare BP, weight and temperature readings before the visit. She also said it is “important to be mindful of the camera positioning,” so that patients can demonstrate certain components of the physical exam, such as movement.

“As you teach them through various components of the exam, such as the abdominal exam, you can really demonstrate the exam on yourself and show them how we separate the abdomen into the four quadrants,” Petrosyan said. “... This is really an experience that allows you to build report with your patient.”