Seattle company allows you to have virtual doctor's visits
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SEATTLE -- When you're sick with the flu, the last thing you want to do is wait for an appointment in the doctor's lobby, so why not see your doctor from home?
All you need is a laptop.
Seattle-based Carena launched a virtual doctor visit service this week. You stay home with whatever's ailing you or your child and log on to make an appointment 24-7. Nicey Hilton even does the dishes while waiting.
"If there's any way I can avoid that waiting room, I'm in heaven," she said.
The service, called CareSimple, simply stations doctors and nurses in their homes who handle your questions in your home. Carena doctors might work from home but must hold their virtual visits in secure rooms out of earshot of any other people to ensure the patient's privacy.
"In health care, often to find out if you have to go to the doctor, you have to go to the doctor," said Dr. Ben Green.
After a few easy questions,they might diagnose pink eye, the flu, a sinus or bladder infection, or tell you if a cut requires a stitch.
"I can look at it and tell you a bandage will be fine, you don't need to go into ER, don't need stitches and you've saved yourself a whole lot of money and time," Green said.
And time is what Hilton doesn't have.
"I've got two kids, 6 and 8, and my schedule like any working mom is psycho," Hilton said.
Hilton says she's usually hooked up for an appointment for her kids in less than a half hour any day of the week.
"Quite often they're not getting sick Monday at 9 a.m. when the doctor's office is open," she said.
Patients pay a monthly family membership of $35 and each visit costs another $5. Or the non-member fee is $85.
"The visits are about half the price of an in person visit," Green said.
While Green believes in the virtues of virtual visits, he says they should not replace all checkups with your primary care physician.
All you need is a laptop.
Seattle-based Carena launched a virtual doctor visit service this week. You stay home with whatever's ailing you or your child and log on to make an appointment 24-7. Nicey Hilton even does the dishes while waiting.
"If there's any way I can avoid that waiting room, I'm in heaven," she said.
The service, called CareSimple, simply stations doctors and nurses in their homes who handle your questions in your home. Carena doctors might work from home but must hold their virtual visits in secure rooms out of earshot of any other people to ensure the patient's privacy.
"In health care, often to find out if you have to go to the doctor, you have to go to the doctor," said Dr. Ben Green.
After a few easy questions,they might diagnose pink eye, the flu, a sinus or bladder infection, or tell you if a cut requires a stitch.
"I can look at it and tell you a bandage will be fine, you don't need to go into ER, don't need stitches and you've saved yourself a whole lot of money and time," Green said.
And time is what Hilton doesn't have.
"I've got two kids, 6 and 8, and my schedule like any working mom is psycho," Hilton said.
Hilton says she's usually hooked up for an appointment for her kids in less than a half hour any day of the week.
"Quite often they're not getting sick Monday at 9 a.m. when the doctor's office is open," she said.
Patients pay a monthly family membership of $35 and each visit costs another $5. Or the non-member fee is $85.
"The visits are about half the price of an in person visit," Green said.
While Green believes in the virtues of virtual visits, he says they should not replace all checkups with your primary care physician.
I think it's a great idea. After suffering from bronchitis for the past four weeks, and having to go to the doctor, sit in the waiting room, then sit in the patient room, then waiting for the doctor, only to be given a prescription for cough medicine ... I could have saved quite a bit of time at home resting. I do have medical benefits where I work, and would definitely go to the office for check-ups, injuries, and more serious things. But I like this idea A LOT. Their website does state that your current medical insurance will not cover these virtual visits, but if you would be able to use HSA or FSA, if you have one of those accounts.Â
I'm going to sign up for it, and see how it works. UPDATE TO FOLLOW!
My daughter runs her own new business and doesn't have medical insurance. This would be good for her ... until something better comes along. I think it would be good for anyone who doesn't have medical benefits.Â
PS ... My employer's insurance had not kicked in when I first got sick. I had to pay $200 for that vist!Â
For those who think they should have all care covered by their medical insurance. be aware of the fact that insurance will probably not pay for ANY of the cost. Normally an in person, face-to-face consultation is required for insurance to reimburse on a visit.
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And how much is it truly saving? If you know you are sick enough to consult a doctor, you already know that. You may go online, only to be told to get to a doctor's office - so you have wasted time.Â
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There are going to be MANY things that can not be dealt with "virtually" - they can;t listen to your lungs to see if you are developing pneumonia, they cannot palpate your spleen or stomach when you have abdominal pain, they can't check your ankle for tenderness & swelling when oyu have twisted it to determine if it is just a sprain or something worse. ALL of those instances are going to require an in-oerson visit - again, going online only to be told to go in is going to waste time.
If a patient needs a urinanalysis, or other labs for that matter, to make a diagnosis, they will be directed to the right facility. The great thing though is that for many conditions, a thorough and careful conversation (a "patient history" in medical speak) with the patient can reveal the diagnosis with very high confidence. The webcam also allows us to corroborate a diagnosis with an examination as well. The patient now really becomes a big participant in their care experience, which we have found is actually a satisfying experience for many of our patients.  We do also encourage everyone to have a primary care provider for conditions that we cannot manage. Think of us as a new and credible option for care. Thanks.
 @BenGreenMD I signed up however the only option was the individual visit plan. The plan I actually want is the family plan with monthly membership. This is a perfect fit for small business owners like me with not enough hours in the day.
So what do you do if they want a urine analisys. Borrow someone elses laptop???
I really like this idea for for certain situations. When it comes to kids, most of the time, the parents know what is going on and need to go to the doctor to get it confirmed and then have the doctor put the patient on a regimen of either prescription or over the counter drugs. It is easy enough for the parent to get the child's weight and temp if necessary which could be relayed. When it is run of the mill type issues like flu, colds, pink eye, recurring ear infections, etc. I think it could be a good option. There are of course situations where I wouldn't do it -- like when the doctor actually has to physically check you over (kinda hard to skype a pap smear -- well, that would actually be called something else!).
Welcome to ObamaCare.
NW-Economist: I appreciate your concerns, but the fact is we are diagnosing and treating conditions that are safe and appropriate to manage in this manner.  For example, a clinical trial way back in 2001, determined that diagnosing and treating bladder infections over the phone (which we certainly treat) was as safe, as appropriate, and much less costly than an in-person visit. At the end of the day, we are doing what is ultimately safe for the patient, and if a virtual visit is not approrpiate for the patient, they will be directed to the best place for care.
Thank you.
-Ben Green, MD
 @BenGreenMD I totally agree with you, and feel this is a great way to reduce costs both financial and time. I know you are treating more benign ailments via the computer, but did this model get any revolt from your malpractice carrier?
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I wish you the best of luck in this venture and always applaud those that think outside of the box!
@aintno1special Thank you for the well wishes. We really feel this is the right thing to do for patients in a time that is filled with high costs, uncertainty and confusion. To your question, our malpractice carrier wholeheartedly supports our model as we abide by strict clinical protocols and have been doing this safely for quite a while.
Great idea!!! Â Also keeps people from dragging sick kids into ER and waiting rooms, and infecting everyone else.Â
Can I get a virtual prescription for Painkillers...??
I do like the idea. many times a doctors visit is to calm you down and make sure you or your kid aren't dying. With decent web cams, a lot can be done remotely. the doc still needs to rely on your report of vital signs but yes, this could work pretty well.
I think this is great! I am starting the sign up process now.
I can see the malpractice suits shooting through the roof because of this.Â
"my schedule like any working mom is psycho" - Don't ALL moms work? My mother didn't work outside the home, but she worked. She probably worked harder IN the home than many women do when they are working for a paycheck.
 @Silvia Okay, then imagine that your Mom also had to work 40 hours outside the home in ADDITION to her job at home....Â
@DT @Silvia But when you work outside the home, you simply don't do some things that you would do if you worked only at home. You don't take care of your kids full time (day care), you probably don't do things like can/freeze/grow stuff - you don't have time. You don't have time for much of a garden, and you probably do more shortcuts for meals, rather than cooking from scratch...when you work outside the home, you get a break from your day job - you only do it 40 hours a week. But as a stay at home mom, you work 7 days a week...I guess my point here is that stay at home moms - and stay at home women (no kids) sometimes don't get as much respect as "working" women, which is too bad. Being a stay at home mom is one of the hardest - and probably also most fulfilling - jobs there is. And it IS a job, make no mistake about that.
 @Silvia Calm down Silvia, nobody said your mother wasn't a dedicated and hard worker.
@Rockberry That isn't the point. I don't like the implication that there is such a role as a "working mom" (and therefore also "nonworking" moms). ALL moms work.
 @Silvia  @Rockberry Not Michelle Obama.
Oh - and why don't YOU calm down?? I was just making an observation.
@spacegoddess @Rockberry I don't think its an over reaction. Society in general tends to downplay the important job that a woman does when she stays home to take care of her home and family. In regard to doing more work - the reality is, when you are home full time with your kids, you are working - caring for their needs (not letting a day care provider raise them), caring for your home.
 @Silvia  @Rockberry Okay, you're talking about an off-the-cuff quote from one woman who works at a job outside the home as well as having to do all the regular mom stuff, and treating it like it was meant as some attack against stay-at-home moms, and it seems (at least to me) like a hypersensitive over-reaction. Calm down. Also, the definition of working mom that she is using, working both inside and outside the home, is such that it includes doing more work in general and having less time to do it in than a mom who does not work an additional job.
I think we need virtual colonoscopy added to the list!Â
@Powderhound Only if porn music is playing in the background....
 @Powderhound after you get a plumbing inspection camera (da snake) from Home Depot