Pros and Cons of Telemedicine for Multiple Sclerosis: Mitzi Joi Williams, MD

WATCH TIME: 4 minutes

“So much of symptom management, especially for those visits in between big MRI visits, have really been done via telemedicine, and so it's been a very convenient way for patients to reach us and certainly a convenient way for us to be able to talk to our patients. However, it can be limited because of technology issues, but also because we can't do as good of a neurologic exam.”

The use of telemedicine has previously been used in different branches of neurology, but with the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic, it became more widely used in different conditions, particularly multiple sclerosis (MS). The use of remote visits was a benefit for symptom managements in these patients; however, there have been challenges when it comes to rehabilitation and symptom management. 

NeurologyLive^® sat down with Mitzi Joi Williams, MD, founder and CEO of Joi Wellness Group MS Center, to talk about these obstacles, as well as her thoughts on whether or not telemedicine is here to stay. Logging on quickly to address questions from patients has been more convenient for providers, she said, and while they are not often compensated for phone calls or time spent filling out paperwork, practitioners can be compensated for logged telemedicine visits. Being remote also offers options for patients who may not be feeling well enough to drive or able to wait 2 to 3 weeks for the next available in-person visit. Williams expressed her hope that telemedicine, as well as the collaborative approach within the comprehensive care model generated during the pandemic, are both here to stay.

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