1. What is a zoom telehealth appointment?
Generally, it is a coaching session; however, the scope of information covered is much more involved than what you typically learn at a doctor’s appt.
2. How is this appt different than seeing a doctor in clinic?
The goals are different. In clinic, you are treated. In the telehealth appt, the goal is to educate you with scientific information and opinions about sleep not ordinarily provided in a clinic appt.
3. What type of questions can I ask in the appt?
Any question you want to ask is acceptable with the understanding you are not being treated. Instead, you are receiving very advanced and highly detailed information, personally-tailored to your experience based on my background treating thousands of individuals with sleep disorders.
4. Why is this high level of education not treatment?
I am not prescribing any medication or anything that you might need for your treatment regimen. Instead, by drawing on knowledge from individuals who suffer from sleep problems similar to yours, you will gain new insights, ideas, and understanding to help you develop new approaches in working with your own sleep doctors, therapists or other healthcare professionals.
5. Is the telehealth appt conducted differently than a clinic appt?
Yes, the big difference is we engage in a lengthy conversation or dialogue, taking a deep dive into all the things you should consider to improve your sleep. No doctor’s notes are written. Rather, you will want to take notes during the session. As current healthcare practices create very short appointment slots, these telehealth appointments give you the time and freedom to explore your sleep difficulties in much greater depth and breadth, yielding new insights to pave the way to better sleep. The overwhelming majority of individuals undergoing these sessions report more than 90% of the information learned is new to them, indicating the absence of such information at past doctor visits.
6. Can I ask questions about the drugs I use for my sleep?
Yes, but the discussion is focused on educating you to understand more thoroughly why you were prescribed these drugs, their benefits and side-effects, and whether other therapy pathways might yield different gains. That said, the information is provided with the understanding you will then work with your prescribing physicians should you choose to consider new ideas learned in the session. I neither prescribe medications nor make any recommendations on drugs you should use or change.
7. Can my medical records be reviewed?
Yes, for an additional small fee. However, in most instances, medical records do not prove particularly useful for two reasons. First and foremost, what the individual says about his or her current experiences with sleep proves the most reliable in figuring out what’s working and what’s not. Second, the individual can almost always describe sufficient information about what doctors previously reported about sleep tests or discussed in clinic appointments to clarify the current sleep program. It is extremely rare for a need to arise to review records.
8. What about a data download from my PAP machine?
The most important indicators from this data source are the residual breathing events including AHI and flow limitations as well as leak values. Knowing this information is useful to direct our discussion towards new strategies. This information can prove highly applicable for your continued efforts with your current sleep professionals.
9. What are common topics discussed in these telehealth sessions?
A. Failing CPAP and similar difficulties with other PAP machines
B. Developing strategies to optimize results with a PAP device
C. Learning when to move from CPAP to more advanced PAP machines
D. How to understand and address the problem of UARS
E. Any types of insomnia or nightmare complaints
F. Residual RLS or PLMD symptoms
G. How to approach your current sleep doctors with new or advanced ideas from the scientific literature in order to improve your sleep health regimen
H. This list only scratches the surface, and many other sleep issues can be discussed.
10. What are the fees for an initial session and follow-up sessions?
As described in the drop down box, individuals typically start with an intake telehealth session of 60 minutes ($300) or 90 min ($400). All subsequent appts are billed at $300/hour with durations as short as 15 minutes for $75..
11. Can I schedule regular telehealth sessions?
Yes, as needed, and the rate of $300/hour applies; and, you can schedule sessions as short as 15 minutes, which would equal a fourth of the billing rate or $75.
12. Can I ask Dr. Krakow to discuss my issues with a sleep doctor or other healthcare professional, and if so, how is it billed?
You simply pay me for the amount of time I spend talking with your doctor, again billed at $300/hour, but it is your responsibility to arrange for the connection, which can be phone or zoom.
For additional questions, please contact me at info@barrykrakowmd.com