Virtual Foot Pain Appointments – Now Available!

What are Virtual Appointments?

To encourage physical distancing during the Covid-19 pandemic, Dr. Horowitz began offering Virtual Appointments.

Patients should have the ability to have their health monitored, receive appropriate care, reassurance and be re-evaluated if injured. Virtual appointments are a convenient way for you to receive help from Dr. Horowitz, by using your computer, iPad, cell phone or home phone. It is useful where distance is a critical limiting factor, where there are barriers to obtaining care, and in instances where part of care can take place remotely to meet a patient’s needs.

Many aspects of patient care can be accomplished through Virtual care.

Have a look at this video, to see how easy it is to book a virtual appointment:

What are the Benefits of Virtual Appointments?

Pain can be prevented and/managed with expert advice.
Face-face online care gives you clarity about what is causing your pain, offering you reassurance while empowering you about how to self-manage at home.
Virtual appointments are useful, convenient, and can help you reach your health goals and stay healthy.
If you are immunocompromised, have COVID-19 symptoms, are in quarantine or isolation or who are unable to leave their home for other reasons, virtual appointments make Dr. Horowitz’s expertise in diagnosing and managing foot pain available.
You can make an appointment from the comfort of your own home.
Research suggests that care through real-time virtual appointments is effective for improving pain and function for people with spinal conditions, osteoarthritis & other musculoskeletal conditions.¹

Is a Virtual Visit Right for Me?

Before making an online appointment, you should first consider if it is right for you.

Virtual Appointments may NOT be appropriate for you if:

You have any physical condition that will prevent you from being able to use this type of technology (e.g. vision or hearing deficits, certain physical disabilities).
You only want hands–on assessment or care.
You are not willing to sign a consent form, authorizing the use of this safe, secure and confidential platform.
If you live outside of Ontario.

What do I need to get started?

You will need to have access to a computer, iPad, cell phone. Your computer must have a camera and audio that can be turned on. Alternately, a telephone consultation is also available but not preferable.
Do you feel comfortable using technology? Have you used a computer for video conferencing before and do you know how it works? If not, are you willing to follow a checklist teaching you how to get set up or do you have someone who can get you set up, ahead of your appointment?
You need to be able to get set up 10 minutes before your appointment, to ensure that you begin on time in order to make the most of your time.
Are you comfortable discussing your healthcare needs using technology?
Are you able to send payment ahead of your scheduled appointment through etransfer or by inputting your debit/credit card through our secure platform?

Many Extended Insurance Companies are accepting billings for Virtual Appointment services which are billed under paramedical services, such as:

Manulife
Green Shield
Pacific Blue Cross
Medavie Blue Cross
Sunlife
Canada Life

Are Virtual Computer Appointments Secure?

Yes. Secure transmission systems and storage mechanisms are used, which means that all the traffic flows directly between each user’s web browser and completely bypasses outside servers. The traffic is also encrypted in transit and none of the data is stored anywhere at any time.

This approach ensures online appointments are PIPEDA and HIPAA secure and address the major privacy concerns clinics and patients have around telehealth.

In addition, any device that Dr. Horowitz uses for Virtual care is password protected, to prevent unauthorized use.

Existing patients and new patients can now book online, directly from our website and by searching the web address: https://toronto-orthotics.janeapp.com . You set up an account with a username and password, and can make appointments at your convenience.

What Services are Available with Virtual Appointments?

Dr. Horowitz can offer considerable help for foot, leg & back pain conditions, such as heel pain, ball of foot pain, bunion pain, leg, knee and hip pain, acute or chronic back, disc injuries, spinal stenosis, neck and shoulder pain.

Services can include:

Consultation:

Comprehensive History (speaking with you about your area of concern)
Re-evaluation (for existing patients)
Visual assessment/Examination (modified)
Diagnosis/Clinical Impression
Compression Sock/Garment sizing and ordering

People are often very stressed due to pain and may be afraid that it will never go away. In addition to offering a diagnosis and plan of management for your pain, Dr. Horowitz will rule out any serious pathology that may require advanced imaging or medical referral.

Treatments might include:

Educating you about your condition and offering resources that can help you.
Exercises & Rehabilitation Plans. Dr. Horowitz can email you pictures and/videos of exercises.
Learning Behavioural, Postural Modifications & Ergonomic advice to prevent things that aggravate your condition.
Recommendations for appropriate medical devices, compression socks, supports & pain-relieving therapies.
Lifestyle counseling/Stress-reduction techniques that help reduce pain.
Follow up care to help you achieve your health goals.
Learning Cognitive Behavioural Activation techniques and Mindfulness Meditation for chronic pain management
Learning appropriate home-based self-management strategies while Dr. Horowitz demonstrates and monitors your activities.

How should I prepare for a Virtual Chiropractor Appointment?

Prior to your virtual appointment, Dr. Horowitz will provide a Virtual Appointment Checklist that will include instructions of how to set up your computer, how to make the most of your appointment, what to wear for ease of movement and visual inspection, and how to set up your space for exercise. Once booked, you will receive an email confirmation with a link to start your appointment at the right time.

You will be asked to confirm your identity and to provide verbal consent to the appointment. The consultation will be very similar to an in-office consultation.

During the examination, Dr. Horowitz may observe your posture, ranges of motion and movement patterns. She may recommend that you have a family member present in case you need support.

Dr. Horowitz will tell you what the diagnosis/clinical impression is and provide information about setting up any additional appointments you may need, to offer self-management strategies. After the appointment, Dr. Horowitz will follow-up, as appropriate to evaluate your progress. You will be asked to schedule an in-office appointment so that she can complete the examination in-office, when it is safe for you to do so.

*1 Cottrell MA, Galea OA, O’Leary SP, et al. Real-time telerehabilitation for the treatment of musculoskeletal conditions is effective and comparable to standard practice: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Clin Rehabil 2017;31(5):625-38. doi: 10.1177/0269215516645148 [published Online First: 2016/05/04]

Kairy D, Lehoux P, Vincent C, et al. A systematic review of clinical outcomes, clinical process, healthcare utilization and costs associated with telerehabilitation. Disabil Rehabil 2009;31(6):427-47. doi: 10.1080/09638280802062553 [published Online First: 2008/08/23]

Grona SL, Bath B, Busch A, et al. Use of videoconferencing for physical therapy in people with musculoskeletal conditions: A systematic review. J Telemed Telecare 2018;24(5):341-55. doi: 10.1177/1357633X17700781 [published Online First: 2017/04/14]

O’Brien KM, Hodder RK, Wiggers J, et al. Effectiveness of telephone-based interventions for managing osteoarthritis and spinal pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis. PeerJ 2018;6:e5846. doi: 10.7717/peerj.5846 [published Online First: 2018/11/07]

To ask Dr. Horowitz a question or for a copy of our Office Pandemic Policy, submit the form below: