Dr. Holmes offers VideoChat telehealth appointments for patients who are unable to schedule a convenient face-to-face appointment. Real-time telemedicine permits live interaction between a health professional and patient using secure, HIPAA-compliant audio and video communication. Think Facetime, just more secure! Telehealth appointments cannot replace a face-to-face appointment which would typically include a thorough breast examination. However, telehealth does provide an opportunity to move your care forward until a face-to-face appointment can be arranged.
Who is eligible for a VideoChat appointment?
You are eligible for a VideoChat appointment if
- You are a California resident seeking an initial, first-time consultation with Dr. Holmes;
- You are a current or previous patient of Dr. Holmes;
- You are a non-California resident interested in learning if you are eligible for a clinical trial conducted by Dr. Holmes.
How you do you join a VideoChat appointment?
You may access a VideoChat through your personal desktop computer, laptop, tablet device, or cell phone. To participate in a VideoChat appointment, Dr. Holmes's office will send to you a connection weblink via email or text message. Simply select the weblink to “Join the VideoChat", respond to the prompts to turn on your camera and microphone, and seconds later you will be able to see and speak with Dr. Holmes from the privacy of your home.
VideoChat appointments are scheduled during regular office hours just like routine office appointments at a specific 30, 45, or 60-minute timeslot. To schedule a VideoChat appointment, please contact our office at 1-800-203-5515, 1-818-539-1985, or abla@drholmesmd.com. An appointment time will be scheduled, and you will be asked to complete appropriate forms prior to your appointment.
Are VideoChat appointments covered by insurance?
Most health plans will pay for properly conducted telehealth visits. You may wish to verify this with your health plan. However, if telehealth visits are not covered by your health plan, you have the option of paying out-of-pocket for this service. Please contact Dr. Holmes’s office about out-of-pocket cost.
How can you provide reports and imaging studies (e.g., mammograms) for your VideoChat appointment?
You may fax or email your written reports and send a CD of your breast imaging studies by express mail with a tracking number. Virtual appointments have been greatly facilitated by mymedicalimages.com, a HIPAA-compliant medical record-sharing website that Dr. Holmes uses to receive medical records from patients.
Mymedicalimages.com allows patients to use their personal computers to upload reports and full CDs of mammogram, ultrasound, and MRIs to a secure website where Dr. Holmes can view your medical records in minutes! Not only is this a rapid method of sharing your medical records, mymedicalimages.com costs as little as $19 with a discount code provided by Dr. Holmes’s office. That’s cheaper than express mail without the risk of lost mail or mail delays.
Important: Please contact our office at 1-800-203-5515, 1-818-539-1985, or at abla@drholmesmd.com before sending reports or imaging studies so we can know to expect them
