Laguna Beach Clinic's Telehealth Rides Wave Of Paradigm Shift

LAGUNA BEACH, CA — Patients of the Laguna Beach Community Clinic are getting used to the new telehealth system. Dr. Jorge Rubal, CEO and Medical Director of the clinic, has educated his patients on how to gain assistance from the clinic without ever leaving home.

"If you have a health need, we strongly urge you to call us first or use the online patient portal, rather than coming indirectly," Dr. Rubal, CEO and medical director for the Laguna Beach Community Clinic, said in a prepared statement.

According to a report from the Daily Pilot, Rubal sees that telehealth will change modern medicine as we know it.
History tells us that the origins of telehealth began over a century ago and has "evolved into flat screen, high definition units, and peripheral devices to aid in physical examination of patients." Using new technologies, doctors can read digitally captured x-rays, pathology slides, as well as review medications. In hospitals, telemedicine is used in the area of monitoring stroke patients and conducting psychiatric consultations.

At the Laguna Beach Community Clinic, doctors are helping their patients utilize the portal for prescription requests, doctor questions, and more.

"In a crisis, you have to adapt, and when the dust settles, (telehealth) is going to change medicine, including what we can offer our patients moving forward," He told the Daily Pilot.

Locally, Laguna Beach Community Clinic is using telehealth to safeguard patients against unnecessary trips out of the house during the pandemic.

Dr. Rubal added that this has been the clinic's mission for 50 years to provide excellent medical care regardless of a patient's ability to pay.

Their business hours are the same as they have always been: Monday to Friday 8 a.m.– 12 p.m. and 1 – 5 p.m. The office is open on Saturday from 8 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Those with fever, cough, and shortness of breath should call their physician immediately or head to a local emergency room.

Rubal concluded: "Everyone's been saying it, as your community doctor, I'm urging it also, Stay Home."