COLAtoday team member Chloe here. 👋 Are anyone else's allergies acting up? After sneezing approximately 2,385 times this week, I started to feel an earache coming on. I wasn't feeling up to going out, so, luckily, I had the very timely opportunity to do an at-home, virtual visit with aPrisma Health doctor—but with the added technical support from a little handheld device called TytoCare.

What we tried (with pricing):

Here's how it went:

Upon connecting my TytoCare Medical Exam Kit ($179)to wifi, I synced it with my iPad + MyChart account.
I watched a quick tutorial on how to use the device directly on my iPad (read: super easy).
At my scheduled virtual visit time with Dr. Telicia Allen, MD, a Prisma Health family medicine specialist based in Simpsonville, I joined the video visit through the MyChart app.
Here's where things got interesting. After hearing about my symptoms, she had me attach the tongue depressor and said say "ahhhh."
Dr. Allen and I were both able to see into my throat through the device's camera. Think: Kind of like FaceTime, but high-def footage, unlike anything possible with a phone camera. She noted that my throat was a little reddue to allergen irritation, since it wasn't inflamed or infected like a strep throat would appear.
Then the physician directed me to attach the ear speculum. With Dr. Allen's help, I was able to position the camera so she could see inside my ear, including the status of my eardrum. Turns out, everything was just fine — I even got compliments for my lack of earwax. No diagnoses or prescriptions were needed.
That was it. The whole thing took ~15 minutes, and since I had no other concerns, we didn't use any additional attachments. But this device can do a whole lot more.

Chloe trying the TytoCare device with Dr. Allen's direction. | Photo by 6AM City

What not to miss:

All the things you (er, your doctor) can do virtually with the device — no driving to the doctor's office (or even getting out of bed) necessary. The device basically gives the doctor all the medical equipment they need, but you’re their “hands” to hold the equipment, while they’re the "eyes + ears" looking and listening to your body to beable to diagnose through the screen in real-time and give you a treatment plan or call in a prescription (from across the street or anywhere in South Carolina).

How you can experience this:

Purchase a TytoCare Medical Exam Kit and keep it on hand at home or take it with you anywhere(from camping to cross-country road trips). Think of it as always have a trusted Prisma Health doc in your back pocket.

Things to know if you go:

Experience: Enhanced virtual doctor's visit with portable TytoCare Medical Exam Kit
Price: $179 for the TytoCare kit, plus the cost of the visit
Website: prismahealth.org/tytocare
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