Virtual doctor visits during holidays may be best choice

When you're feeling lousy, the last thing you want to do is haul yourself into a doctor's office or clinic to explain your symptoms.

MILWAUKEE - When you're feeling lousy, the last thing you want to do is haul yourself into a doctor's office or clinic to explain your symptoms.

That's why virtual visits – telemedicine – are catching on. One local doctor has advice on when you should and shouldn't see your doctor virtually.

It is that time of year when sickness seems to find its way into many homes. Depending on your symptoms, you could get quality care from the comfort of your own couch.

SIGN UP TODAY: Get daily headlines, breaking news emails from FOX6 News

"If you’ve got some cold symptoms or a runny nose or a sore throat, and you want to be seen, a lot of times you can do that from the comfort of your own home and avoid having to sit in the waiting room for a few hours at an urgent care or emergency room," said Dr. Sara Pierce with Advocate Aurora Health.

Advocate Aurora Health said urgent care and emergency rooms are experiencing high patient volumes. If you have mild symptoms or a condition, you might have better luck with a virtual visit.

"It can be much more convenient, and eliminating the drive time and sitting in the waiting room, but I also think that a lot of our physicians and P.A. and N.P. like that option as well," Pierce said.

If you are not sure what the best option is, call your primary care doctor. Otherwise, health officials suggest thinking about whether it's something a doctor needs to examine in person.

Choosing between virtual, urgent or emergency care

"If it’s something where you think, ‘I really need to show someone this, they need to look and examine it. I have knee pain, I have really bad back pain, and they’re going to need to do an exam,’ that’s a great time to call your primary care doctor or go to an urgent care to be seen," said Pierce.

If you are experiencing chest pains, dizziness, confusion or shortness of breath, you should go to the emergency room.

FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX6 News app for iOS or Android.

Featured