Are You on the Fence About Virtual or In-Person Appointments?

It seems like the older I get, the more doctors I have to see. Then again seems like the more years of dealing with psoriasis, the more doctors are needed to deal with the comorbidities that psoriasis can bring. Oftentimes, it feels like it is a never-ending cycle of doctors’ visits.

Each week I have to deal with seeing, on average, at least two doctors. I sometimes feel like I live in a doctor’s office. It is a never-ending cycle of seeing doctors so I can stay as healthy as possible.

If these last two years have brought any major changes, it is in the field of how we see a doctor. Virtual doctors have become a mainstay now. However, I am very much on the fence on the fence about it.

In my many years of living with psoriasis, I have encountered all types of doctors. Some I thought were good, while others I thought were the worst. Maybe it comes from my history of getting medical care from a teaching hospital because I did not have insurance.

When I was first diagnosed with psoriasis, I lived in a very small town. The only doctors I could see were in a big city about 30 minutes away. As I would come to find out, those hospital visits were some of the worst. Because it was a teaching hospital, I had to deal with multiple interns coming in to see me.
My Hesitation Now

All these years later, and because of state Medicaid I am back at the same teaching hospital because no private dermatologist or rheumatologist will accept it. I am never happy having to go there. While I understand interns need to be trained for becoming a doctor, I still feel as though I do not receive proper care.

I have a dear friend that has used a virtual doctor many times. She likes it because she doesn’t have to drive anywhere. I, however, have never used one still to this day. My active psoriasis is located mainly on my feet and ankles. I also have inverse psoriasis in private areas that I feel shouldn't be exposed to a camera.

I just don’t see how a doctor is supposed to look at that through a camera on a computer and fully see what is going on. While I do think some situations might be okay to see a virtual doctor, I just don’t think every situation is.

I already feel like I do not receive proper care. How is a virtual doctor supposed to make that better for me, especially if it is with the same clinic that I mentioned?