Inevitable...coming of age...not for emergency visits or physicals, and physician reimbursement is still difficult as well with payors...but a technology on the move...BD
In some parts of the country, a growing number of doctors are shifting large parts of their practice to e-visits.
One innovative clinic, Greenfield Health in Portland, Ore., now treats 40 percent of its patients by e-mail. And it charges an annual fee of $395 for the privilege. In one pilot project, Kaiser Permanente reduced patient visits by 20 percent by enhancing its online services, he said. One of the biggest hurdles, for now, is money.
Scherger argues that many people run to the doctor for problems that, with today's technology, could be treated without a face-to-face encounter. That can range from simple ailments, such as colds and stomachaches, to chronic conditions that need ongoing monitoring, such as diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure.
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