Telemedicine amidst concerns about COVID-19

COVID-19, also referred to as Coronavirus, has caused people worldwide to be worried for their health. This situation can exacerbate symptoms for individuals who are already experiencing mental health conditions, including anxiety and depression. Some may feel that they are unable to go out in public because their symptoms are so severe. This can lead to them running out of medications because of missed appointments, or possibly never reaching out and seeking the help they need to begin with.

In an attempt to combat this, Dr. David Ahlberg has begun offering to see patients using telemedicine - a service which allows patients to be seen from the comfort of their own home. All that is required is a smartphone (or any other electronic device with audio and video capabilities). This has helped people who are high risk for contracting COVID-19, such as elderly individuals and those with other medical conditions, avoid coming into contact with the virus as well as kept those who have or suspect they may have the virus from coming into the office and infecting others.

Dr. Ahlberg made an appearance on Spectrum News to discuss the effect of this situation on patients mental health and the importance of providing alternative means of being seen by their health care providers. When asked about the benefits of telemedicine for patients, Dr. Ahlberg said:

"If they're already on medication and they're able to get their medication without having to come to the office, they feel better about it because they feel like they might be around people who have an illness [if they came into the office]."

If you would like to discuss being seen for a telemedicine appointment by Dr. Ahlberg for your mental health needs, call us at (910) 939-0724