Online Doctor Visits - How Is It Done and What Are the Concerns

The WSJ recently proclaimed that the "Doctor Is In - Online. More doctors are going digital as a growing number of health insurers cover online medical consultations -- where patients get treated for minor ailments via online chats, video conferencing and interactive questionnaires.

In what Atlanta-based RelayHealth.com calls a webVisit, patients answer detailed written questions about their symptoms and a report is sent to the doctor. The physician then responds within 24 hours through the site with follow-up questions, a suggested treatment, a prescription or a request to see the patient in person. The RelayHealth site also offers free services including appointment scheduling, prescription refills and disclosure of test results. More than 20,000 physicians nationwide are using the site."

NBC video: The Online Doctor Visits:

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