In an iHealthBeat Special Report, three industry officials discussed the use of e-mail and other online communication tools that allow physicians to consult with patients remotely.
The Special Report includes comments from:
- Richard Frankenstein, president of the California Medical Association;
- Lisa Liu, Kaiser Permanente's assistant chief of health promotions; and
- Melissa Welch, Aetna's senior medical director for Northern California.
Although physicians who use e-mail to interact with patients are in the minority, two of the nation's largest health insurers -- Aetna and Cigna -- recently began paying for "Web visits."
The companies first launched online visits in California in 2006 through a partnership with Relay Health, a firm that provides a secure Web site for patients and doctors to communicate. Patients can use the service to:
- Ask advice;
- Report progress;
- View test results;
- Request prescription refills; and
- Schedule office visits.
CMA has raised concerns about patient privacy and the effects of having patients self-report symptoms. Physicians and insurers need to be aware of the limits of online consultations, Frankenstein said. He added, "We are concerned that this be done only in the context of an established doctor-patient relationship" (Kennedy,
iHealthBeat, 2/19).