Ring Ring – Your lab test’s done!
UCLA has developed a prototype of a cell phone that can also be used help treat people in remote villages. Its name is LUCAS. Read more »
The Doctor Will “Chat” with You Now
The article “Hawaii tries out online health care” discusses a new first for health care and technology.
The medical world has turned a new page in Hawaii; a new web page that is. Hawaii residents can now visit the doctor via a chat room and web cam at AmericaWell.com. Hawaii is the first state to implement such online medical visits. For a fee, patients can visit virtually with a real doctor for ten minutes. Doctors are available for online chat or via phone twenty hours a day, seven days a week.
Online visits are taken just a seriously as a standard office visit. Doctors may even prescribe prescriptions during the web consultation, but not all visits result in a diagnosis during the ten minutes. The online visits are an opportunity for patients and doctors to communicate regardless of distance.
“Family practice doctor Michelle Shimizu, who has been among the doctors helping test the system, said she sees opportunities for handling things like glucose monitoring, discussing lab results as well as for unplanned queries.”
It’s interesting to see how the virtual world is becoming part of everyday life, even in the medical sector. I can see online healthcare becoming very popular for many; however I am sure there are bugs that will need to be worked out. Some patients may reject the technology for fear of losing personal contact with their doctor. I am sure in some cases such as the monitoring mentioned earlier, the online care would a perfect fit. As the article said, the online care won’t take over traditional visits as I hope it doesn’t. In my opinion, I think technology is great for health care, but shouldn’t completely replace a trip to the doctor.