Participating in Telehealth Appointments
Advice for Living With a Hypersomnia From People Who Have Hypersomnias*
Advice for Living With a Hypersomnia From People Who Have Hypersomnias*
Telehealth sessions can be a great choice for person(s) who have hypersomnias (PWH). It is often significantly more convenient to have an appointment in your own home via computer (or other devices) versus having to navigate the logistics of time and travel to see your healthcare provider in person.
However, there are a number of issues that PWH should consider and be prepared for before and during the appointment.
Question:
How can PWH best prepare for a telehealth session?
1. Check with your insurance company. In the U.S. it is very important to be sure your insurer covers telehealth sessions. Even if it covers such sessions once or twice (e.g., during COVID-19) it is not guaranteed that it will cover future sessions.
NOTE: If you are an out-of-state patient, it is especially important to do two things:
2. Prepare in advance for the technology aspects of the visit.
3. Allow enough time to get the computer or other device ready, become situated with notes, paper and pen, perhaps have a drink of water nearby, and allow time to log on (considering there may be glitches that need to be solved when trying to log on).
4. Telehealth appointments often take a different type of energy than an in-person meeting. Be prepared for sudden brain fog or sleepiness.
*Members of the Hypersomnia Foundation Patient Advisory and Advocacy Council (PAAC) who either have a hypersomnia or are supporters offer this advice (2020).