I am pleased to offer you Teleneurology consultation services via video.
This is a brief overview of the advantages and disadvantages of Teleneurology, so that you can
decide if you would like to utilize it.
Teleneurology’s chief advantages are its availability, the convenience of being cared for in your own
home, and the travel time saved. Many people are quite comfortable speaking with their friends via
video. A Teleneurology visit feels very much like a house call. An additional advantage is that you can
be joined in a Teleneurology visit by family members who may not have been able to attend a clinic
visit due to constraints of time and distance.
Teleneurology has some limitations. One must feel comfortable with the medium, and with operating
the software. For the optimal experience, one needs a computer with a camera and microphone; the
screen of a handheld phone is small, and less conducive to sharing images or other information. There
are limitations on the extent of the physical part of the neurological exam that can be performed just
based on observation, though it is often possible to request the assistance on a companion or family
member who is with the patient. Conditions that require a meticulous exam are often dealt with best
in a clinic consultation. Finally, the complexity of some information may pose special challenges when
trying to explain it in a video visit. This needs to be considered, taking into account the available
alternatives.
Another factor to be considered is that information may not be as secure when shared via video
compared to an in-person meeting. The patient’s computer, frequently the physician’s computer, and
the routers of the computers are not protected at the same security level as a hospital computer
network. Furthermore, individuals on the patient’ side may hear information the patient did not want
to share with them. This latter limitation may be mitigated by limiting the presence, on the patient’s
side, to the people the patient wants to be there.
Some patients will feel that Teleneurology suits their needs, and others will not. Some patients will
benefit from the presence of a healthy companion in their Teleneurology visit, as they might in a clinic
visit.
Most individuals using Teleneurology have felt the advantages outweigh the disadvantages and have
enjoyed Teleneurology consultations.
If you feel Teleneurology is for you, you need to prepare for the consultation:
1. Please download the free application Zoom. So far it has not been necessary to register if you
are not initiating calls, but in future it may become necessary for you to register in advance, to
enhance the security of communicating via Zoom.
2. Please be prepared to operate Zoom, including turning the microphone and the camera on and
off. If this is difficult – you may need to have someone help you.
3. I will send you an email with a link to the meeting. You click on the link and are admitted to the
meeting. I will need to have your email, and you will need to check it at the designated time.
4. There are several options to schedule a Teleneurology consult: through the website, through
the clinic secretary, or directly with me via NeuroForU@gmail.com.
5. a. You may scan and forward medical records and test results.
b. It will be necessary to forward discs with CT or MRI images that impact your neurological
diagnosis, that I may wish to review with you.
6. There is a charge for a Teleneurology visit; it is the same as for a clinic visit, and needs to be
paid in advance, before scheduling the visit.
Further clarifications:
1. I am not allowed to provide private medical services to anyone I have cared for at Shamir (Assaf
Harofeh) Medical Center in the preceding six months.
2. Electronic communications between visits will usually be limited to administrative or technical
matters and will not be utilized for medical issues.
3. Please do not use email to communicate medical emergencies.
4. Discussion of test results will be done in a follow-up visit.
If Teleneurology suits your needs – I will be happy to be at your service.
Carmel Armon, MD.