by Paige L.
I have had type 1 diabetes for 15 years and throughout my time with diabetes, I have never had a digital doctor’s appointment or “telemedicine” experience. My family even moved to Colorado in 2007 for the amazing care the Barbara Davis Center offers, and I have been going to appointments in person every 3-4 months since. My visits have always been in person with an A1C, device download, and one-on-one doctor attention. With the new Coronavirus pandemic, I was slightly worried about how my care plan and upcoming visit would be impacted and if I would even be able to have a beneficial appointment at all.
My original appointment with Dr. Polsky was scheduled for March 30th, but I received a call from the BDC on March 24th asking if I would like to reschedule for a telemedicine visit. At first, I was a little nervous about a new appointment! My visits are usually such an event in my daily life where I have to travel, pay for parking, check in all of my diabetes-related devices, etc. etc. etc.
It seemed difficult in my mind to have a successful appointment where my doctor can’t have the face to face interaction with me that I am used to and that they may not be able to successfully evaluate my current care plan to make changes. Knowing that I couldn’t put off my appointment any longer (I hadn’t had a visit in 6 months, sorry mom!) I scheduled my first telemedicine visit for March 27th.
With directions received via email from the BDC staff, I uploaded my pump and CGM data to Carelink for my doctor to view. Once I completed that step, I joined a video call with my endocrinologist. The biggest difference of this digital visit was seeing Dr. Polsky in her home! It made the call feel more like a chat with a friend than a doctor’s appointment. Granted, we discussed my current time in range (instead of A1C as a better indication of BG control), my ratios, and any problems or questions I may have. Dr. Polsky and I had conversations about the data, how to adjust doses for high/low BG trends, and more. It was the exact same as an actual visit to the BDC, but it felt a lot less formal!
Thinking back to before my visit, I wish I wasn’t as worried. The appointment was effortless, and I was able to see my data, get feedback, and ask questions the same as any appointment I have had in the past. I have already rescheduled my next visit for July and whether it’s in-person or over a webcam, I know I will be receiving the same amazing care I have been getting for the past 13 years.
