Telehealth trending in health care

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According to Brooke Nordai, director of product innovation at Capital BlueCross, companies are asking a lot about telehealth services, which would allow patients to visit with doctors virtually instead of going to the office.

Employers are looking for ways to provide an extra level of coverage through a different avenue, and starting in January 2016, virtual doctor visits will be available through Capital BlueCross.

Telehealth visits will be included in a majority of Capital BlueCross plans available for open enrollment, which starts in November.

The health care provider partnered with American Well, a company specializing in 24/7 virtual access to physicians. The service will allow patients to go on either Capital BlueCross’s website, American Well’s website or download an app to their tablets or cellphones from Google Play or the Apple store. Consumers can select a licensed doctor in the state they are currently in and meet with them via video in less than two minutes.

The cost of a telehealth visit through Capital BlueCross is $39, significantly less than the price of visiting the doctor’s office. Most plans will come with a co-pay for this service averaging about $10, according to Nordai.

Physicians interested in offering telehealth services would have to form a contract with American Well to be added to the list. Nordai said that some physicians are doing just telehealth, and others are alternating between that and in-person visits.

Lancaster General Health currently has a similar program, allowing patients in Pennsylvania to virtually contact their doctors for the diagnosis and treatment of 12 minor health conditions, including:

• sinus/cold symptoms
• cough
• diarrhea
• red eye
• urinary problems
• heartburn
• allergies
• back pain
• poison ivy
• influenza
• athlete’s foot
• vaginal discharge

LG Health Director of Patient Access and Virtual Health Corey Meyer expects to add oral contraceptives and tobacco cessation later this year, according to a newsletter published by LG Health.

The health center is averaging about 40 to 50 e-visits per month and has plans to include it in advanced practice providers in the future.

Patients without insurance pay a flat fee of $40.

During an e-visit, patients answer a series of questions about their health, and they either receive a diagnosis and treatment or are told to schedule an appointment, depending on their symptoms.

Telehealth services are for basic illnesses and are not meant to treat people with emergency issues.

Nationwide, the trend is growing. According to a study released by the National Business Group on Health, online doctor visits are going to increase in the next year. Last year, 48 percent of 140 large employers surveyed made telehealth options available to employees. That number is predicted to increase to 74 percent by 2016.