In the Midst of the Coronavirus Pandemic, Now Is the Time to Ramp Up Telemedicine

by Jennifer Fink •

Richard Quinn is a freelance writer in New Jersey.

Telehealth Tales

Otolaryngologists from across the country have shared some of their favorite amusing and heartwarming telehealth experiences:

“I was seeing a very sweet lady with benign positional vertigo symptoms. She was sitting on her couch, and I asked if she’d be willing to try the Dix Hallpike diagnostic maneuver to see if her diagnosis was what I suspected—it’s helpful to identify which side is affected for treatment.

“I asked if she had someone at home with her. Her husband was unfortunately out at the grocery store, but she was willing to try it anyway. I had her turn her head 45 degrees and lay back quickly. I couldn’t see her because she had put the phone down, but I heard ‘WHOA!’ and a thump. She had fallen off the couch! I immediately asked if she was okay, and she laughed and said she was.

“After making sure she was okay, she repeated the maneuver on the other side—brave woman! Nothing! So, my diagnosis was confirmed. I sent her a YouTube link so she could do the Epley maneuver at home, with strict instructions to do it only when her husband was with her. She’s doing much better now!”

Cristina Cabrera-Muffly, MD, associate professor, residency program director, department of otolaryngology–head and neck surgery, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colo.

“On a recent video visit, one of my patients wrote and performed a telehealth song-o-gram on her experience with recovering from facial reconstruction during the COVID-19 crisis, set to the tune of Bizet’s ‘L’amour est un oiseau rebelle (Habanera)’ from Carmen—it made my day!”

Travis T. Tollefson, MD, MPH, professor, director of facial plastic and reconstructive surgery and otolaryngology–head and neck surgery, University of California, Davis

“Remember that old tale your mom used to tell you: ‘Stop frowning—your face will stay frozen that way’? Well, one of my residents found out that when [you are on] Zoom, your computer can suddenly freeze, creating a prolonged time where your face may be ‘frozen’ in an unfavorable manner. It just goes to show that you should always listen to your mother.”

Tanya K. Meyer, MD, surgeon, University of Washington Medicine Head and Neck Surgery Center; associate professor, head and neck surgery, University of Washington, Seattle

I was at my desk logging in to a telemedicine appointment. (Scene upon connection: Camera view looking at an empty chair at the kitchen table from a device propped up by a bottle of “Off!” insect spray partially blocking the view.)