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As a marketing manager for a financial services firm, Nicholas* oversees advertising, website support and promotional services.
“I studied marketing and finance in business school,” the Dallas native explains. “Doing marketing for a financial services company is a natural extension of my education and a way to combine the two disciplines.”
Twenty years ago, Nicholas relocated to Florida from Long Island, New York. One of the first things he did following the move was find a primary care physician. He discovered Michael A. Zimmer, MD, MACP, a board-certified internist at Zimmer Medical Services in St. Petersburg.
Dr. Zimmer practices concierge medicine, a health care model where physicians see fewer patients, allowing them to spend more time with each one. Dr. Zimmer is also available to patients by telephone, text, email and televisits, also known as telehealth or telemedicine.
“I’ve been with Dr. Zimmer for nearly 15 years,” Nicholas notes. “Early on, most of our encounters were through traditional appointments. Then we had an appointment scheduled for March 2020. With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, it made more sense for me to see Dr. Zimmer through a televisit.
“Televisits are just one example of the vi r tual me dical suppor t that Dr. Zimmer provides as part of his concierge practice.”
Beneficial Tool
Televisits are interactive audio and video sessions with a physician via computer, tablet or smartphone. They are conducted on a secure platform using data encryption to safeguard confidentiality. This permits open discussion of the patient’s medical history as well as discussion and assessment of any conditions.
“Most of the diagnoses in internal medicine are based on medical history, so televisits are a very useful tool in my practice,” Dr. Zimmer asserts. “They have been particularly useful during the COVID-19 pandemic, when many patients at high risk for infection were reluctant to leave their homes.
“But televisits also benefit younger, more active patients with very busy schedules. Televisits enable these patients to meet with me whenever they find time in their day to review their preventive care plans, tests and lab results.”
The biggest advantage of televisits over other technology is the video component. Video is especially valuable when there is a rash, a sore or some other visible sign of disease that Dr. Zimmer can assess during a physical examination.
“It is easy for patients to schedule a televisit,” Dr. Zimmer assures. “Once patients make a request, a staff member from my office emails them a link, which opens up into the secure application for the visit. My patients truly appreciate this convenient access to care.”
“Dr. Zimmer offers televisits at normal times, and that’s the reason I chose to take advantage of it during the pandemic,” Nicholas relates. “He reviewed my bloodwork and other health considerations just like he would during a traditional visit.
“Televisits are convenient, and there’s little trade-off in conducting an appointment virtually. It’s great to have a doctor like Dr. Zimmer who’s flexible and supports this technology. My televisit worked out well for me.”
*Patient’s name changed at his request
Easy Transition
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Show & Tell
As a marketing manager for a financial services firm, Michael White oversees advertising, website support and promotional services. “I studied marketing and finance in business school,” the Dallas native explains.…
