Conditions treated
Asthma Management by Telehealth in Florida
Stable asthma is well suited to telehealth. Most visits are about how often you are actually using your rescue inhaler, whether symptoms wake you at night, and whether your controller medication is doing its job, and all of that is a conversation. An active attack is not a telehealth problem and needs urgent in-person care.
How asthma control is actually judged
Control is not about how bad your worst day was. It is about frequency. The questions that matter:
- How many days a week do you use a rescue inhaler for symptoms?
- How often do symptoms wake you at night?
- Are you avoiding activities because of your breathing?
- Have you needed oral steroids or an urgent visit in the past year?
Needing a rescue inhaler more than about twice a week usually means the underlying inflammation is not controlled, and that the controller medication needs attention rather than the rescue inhaler being used more.
Controller versus rescue, a distinction worth being clear about
A rescue inhaler opens the airways quickly during symptoms. A controller reduces the inflammation that causes those symptoms in the first place, and it only works if taken consistently, including on days you feel fine.
A common and fixable problem is someone relying on a rescue inhaler daily while a controller sits unused because it did not seem to do anything. It does, just slowly and invisibly.
Inhaler technique, which video is unusually good for
A large share of people use their inhaler incorrectly, which means a portion of the dose never reaches the lungs. Demonstrating your technique on camera and getting it corrected is one of the more valuable few minutes of a telehealth visit, and it works as well over video as it does in person.
Bring your actual inhalers to the appointment, including the spacer if you use one.
Triggers and an action plan
Florida brings its own triggers: long pollen seasons, indoor mold, humidity, and heat. Part of the visit is identifying what reliably sets you off and what to do about it.
You should leave with a written asthma action plan, meaning you know what to take daily, what to take for symptoms, and the specific point at which you stop adjusting at home and seek urgent care.
What needs in-person care
Spirometry, the breathing test used to confirm a diagnosis and measure lung function, is done in person. A first-time diagnosis in an adult generally needs it. Severe or poorly controlled asthma is referred to pulmonology.
Signs of a severe attack
Call 911 for trouble speaking in full sentences, lips or fingernails turning blue or grey, straining to breathe, drowsiness or confusion, or a rescue inhaler that is not helping. Do not book a video visit for an attack in progress.
Questions about asthma
Can inhalers be prescribed and refilled by telehealth?
Yes. Controller and rescue inhalers are routinely prescribed and refilled by telehealth and sent to your pharmacy.
Can asthma be diagnosed for the first time over video?
Symptoms can be evaluated and a treatment trial started, but confirming an adult asthma diagnosis usually requires spirometry, which is done in person. You would be directed to where that is available.
What should I have ready for the appointment?
Your inhalers and spacer, a rough count of how many days a week you have needed the rescue inhaler, and any record of urgent visits or steroid courses in the past year.
Do allergies affect my asthma?
Frequently, yes. Allergic rhinitis and asthma often travel together, and treating the nasal symptoms sometimes improves the breathing. It is worth addressing both at the same visit.
How often should asthma be reviewed?
Every three to twelve months depending on control, and sooner after any change in medication or any flare that needed steroids.
This page is general health information, not medical advice, and reading it does not create a provider-patient relationship. Decisions about your care should be made with a clinician who knows your history.
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Get asthma looked at
Request a video visit from anywhere in Florida. Same provider each time, in English or Spanish.