Virtual Visits Bring Our Doctors Directly to You

Great news! Bascom Palmer is now offering virtual visits to provide your eye care remotely. A virtual visit with your eye doctor can determine whether your condition can be treated safely at home or you need an in-office visit at one of our locations.

What is a virtual visit?

A virtual visit is a scheduled appointment with your eye doctor by the use of your smartphone or computer from the convenience and comfort of your home.

What services are available in a virtual visit?

Many services you normally receive during an in-office visit can now be done with a virtual visit through a video chat or telephone call.

These services include:

• Urgent or emergency visit
• New patient visit
• Follow-up visit
• Post-operative visit
• Second opinion consultation

Can I see my regular eye doctor on a virtual visit?

Yes. When you make your appointment for a virtual visit, you will be scheduled to see your regular eye doctor, just as you would for an in-office visit. If you are a new patient, our appointment office will make your appointment with a doctor who specializes in your particular eye condition. In addition, your regular eye doctor can obtain a second opinion or a consult with another eye doctor using this virtual platform.

What equipment do I need?

For a virtual visit by telephone, all you need is your phone. For a virtual visit by video, you will need a smartphone, tablet, laptop, or desktop computer with a camera and microphone, and internet capability. These video chats are done through a secure and special version of Zoom. Prior to your video chat, you will have to download Zoom on your device. It is also recommended that you have a MyUHealthChart account. At this secured, online site, you are able to access your medical records electronically. Don’t worry, before your virtual visit occurs, we will ensure you have everything you need for an easy, convenient experience. We will walk you through every step of the process.

“This is super advanced, creative telemedicine that allows our Bascom Palmer specialists to be available to anyone in the world, from any place in the world. Telemedicine is critical to help us care for patients in the most difficult of times. But it’s also our opportunity to embrace a more evolved model of healthcare delivery; a better, smarter way to practice medicine moving forward.”

—Dr. Ranya Habash

Can I ask a family member or friend to join me on my virtual visit?

Absolutely! You are welcome to have a family member or friend join you on your virtual visit. Since video chats take place on a special version of Zoom, you, the doctor, or the doctor’s assistant can “invite” your family member or friend to join the visit virtually.

What is a hybrid visit?

A hybrid visit is a two-part visit scheduled by your doctor, the first part of the visit is testing that takes place in the office with our clinical staff. The second part of the visit takes place on the phone or by video chat with your doctor. Once your test results are available, your doctor will discuss your findings and care plan with you from the comfort of your own home. Even better, we are making eye tests more convenient for you. Hybrid visits are available at all of Bascom Palmer’s locations with the possibility of doing these at more convenient times, like evenings or weekends. If your doctor recommends a hybrid visit, you can request your testing at the location closest to you. Furthermore, hybrid visits provide optimal care to the patients as very precise electronic documentation of the status of the eye and the visual system is documented in a way that the physician and team can review it multiple times and come up with observations that may have been missed during a routine in-person visit that depends more on the “in the moment” interpretation of an observation.

Will I be safe during an in-person visit?

If you come into any Bascom Palmer location, you will see we have implemented many new guidelines to keep you and our employees safe. Everyone entering our facilities is screened for COVID-19. The screening is easy and takes less than one minute. Then, everyone is given a mask. Because visitors or family members are not allowed at this time, and if you should need assistance, our team members will assist you. We are following social distancing and have increased space and limited the amount of seating in our waiting areas. Plenty of hand sanitizer is available and all surfaces, elevators, and restrooms are continually cleaned and disinfected. Your health and safety is our highest priority.

How is my privacy protected?

The University of Miami Health System uses a special version of Zoom known as Zoom for Healthcare, which is integrated within our “UChart” electronic medical record platform. UChart secures telemedicine Zoom sessions through advanced encryption and restricted link distribution to protect your privacy.

Does insurance cover Bascom Palmer’s Virtual Visits?

Your virtual visit will be billed to your insurance company, the same way an in-person visit would be billed.

We look forward to seeing you soon.