Technology and Health Care Paper
Technology and Health Care Paper
Eugenia Washington
HCS/531 Health Care Organization and Delivery System
August 11, 2014
Tracey Lane
The product that I chose to use is the virtual physician visit. This visit would be structured to finance standard care for any patient with trivial sicknesses.Patients would be able to log onto a specified website where they would be able to openly communicate with a physician. After logging in and connecting with a physician, the patient would be able to communicate the symptoms that they are experiencing to the physician via instant messaging or leaving an email and waiting until a physician can respond to their concerns. This will allow the physician to make a diagnosis and send a prescription to the patient’s pharmacy if needed or provide the patient with specific instructions for care. If it is determined that the symptoms are more serious than the patient expected, it may be required that they go to a local hospital or urgent care to be assessed to ensure that it is nothing more serious than anticipated. This way, if the physician is unsure, the patient s not placed in grave danger for anything further to take place. The service is cost effective and paid online with a patient’s credit card which is initially less expensive than a doctor’s office visit in most cases and gives consumers around-the-clock care without having to leave their jobs or homes. Not only is it cheaper but it is more convenient. According to Robert L. Smith, Virtual care is a form of communication whose time has come and can be instrumental in fixing our current state of affairs within the health care system. (Galewitz, 2012). Some insurance companies like United Health and Cigna are embracing the product. It is also being utilized by large employers, as a means of reducing costs and getting employees back on their feet sooner. (Galewitz, 2012). The examination is not as expensive as a normal routine drop in and
Eugenia Washington
HCS/531 Health Care Organization and Delivery System
August 11, 2014
Tracey Lane
The product that I chose to use is the virtual physician visit. This visit would be structured to finance standard care for any patient with trivial sicknesses.Patients would be able to log onto a specified website where they would be able to openly communicate with a physician. After logging in and connecting with a physician, the patient would be able to communicate the symptoms that they are experiencing to the physician via instant messaging or leaving an email and waiting until a physician can respond to their concerns. This will allow the physician to make a diagnosis and send a prescription to the patient’s pharmacy if needed or provide the patient with specific instructions for care. If it is determined that the symptoms are more serious than the patient expected, it may be required that they go to a local hospital or urgent care to be assessed to ensure that it is nothing more serious than anticipated. This way, if the physician is unsure, the patient s not placed in grave danger for anything further to take place. The service is cost effective and paid online with a patient’s credit card which is initially less expensive than a doctor’s office visit in most cases and gives consumers around-the-clock care without having to leave their jobs or homes. Not only is it cheaper but it is more convenient. According to Robert L. Smith, Virtual care is a form of communication whose time has come and can be instrumental in fixing our current state of affairs within the health care system. (Galewitz, 2012). Some insurance companies like United Health and Cigna are embracing the product. It is also being utilized by large employers, as a means of reducing costs and getting employees back on their feet sooner. (Galewitz, 2012). The examination is not as expensive as a normal routine drop in and
References: Chen, P. (2010, January 7). Are Doctors Ready for Virtual Visits? Retrieved August 11, 2014, from http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/07/health/07chen.html Comstock, J. (2013, May 8). Five reasons virtual doctor visits might be better than in-person ones. Retrieved August 11, 2014, from http://mobihealthnews.com/.../five-reasons-virtual-doctor-visits-might-be-bette... Eads, M. (2007). Virtual office visits: A reachable and reimbursable innovation. Family Practice Galewitz, P. (2012, May 6). Insurers Embrace 'Virtual ' Doctor Visits. Retrieved August 11, 2014, from http://www.kaiserhealthnews.org/stories/2012/may/07/telemedicine.aspx