Managed Care - March 2009 - (Page 33) are,” says Schoenberg. “Online Care doesn’t require physicians to publish a schedule or manage appointments, though they can do so to follow up with their patient panel. When a physician advises the system that he is available, via the Web or by phone, the system will immediately match him up with patients needing his time and establish the live connection.” Patients can seek out a certain type of doctor, says Stollar. Some physicians offer video introductions. “You can look for doctors who speak a common language or share ethnicity. And then, if you wish, right then and there you can choose a provider and have a conversation. “Doctors let the system know they are available by computer or phone,” adds Stollar. “They can be home watching TV. If someone is looking for a specialty, they are summoned Low overhead or notified that there is someone online. For doctors, it is a chance to make an They can review the history of the person extra $30 to $40 per online consultation. and have the discretion to handle it.” That’s less than the $70 or $80 they may Patients have the option of going live on make seeing someone in their office, says the Web in a video conference, chatting onSchoenberg, but it can be done without all line, or speaking on the telephone. the overhead of staff, facilities, claims man“We don’t define the condition,” Stollar agement, and so on. American Well collects Online care is a way says. “The professional judgment of the the money for the visit and deposits funds in to overcome the physician is what should be utilized. If they the physician’s bank account. Health plan constraints of geography and the shortfeel they have enough history, they can diagmembers are charged $10 a visit, and nonage of doctors, says nose and treat. A physician can extend a members — including the uninsured — Mike Stollar of the visit for an additional five minutes for an adpay $45. Hawaii Medical ditional cost. Most things get wrapped up in It is early days for the pioneering pro- Service Association. under 15 minutes, though, which is more gram, but HMSA sounds happy. time than most people get at the doctor’s office.” “Considering our geography, we have some Many kinds of specialists are trying it out. major issues,” says Mike Stollar, vice president for “We have a very interesting selection,” says Stolmarketing at HMSA. “Except for Honolulu, we’re lar, rattling off a list that includes psychiatrists, a rural state, and we have a lot of remote areas that anesthesiologists, surgeons, and ophthalmologists. are disconnected because of the water. Online care “I call it connected convenience,” says Carlton is a good way to overcome the constraints of geogDoty, the research director at Forrester Research, a raphy and the shortage of physicians in certain market analysis company. “If you think about Minuteparts of the state.” Clinic or other retail walk-in clinics, they represent An online consultation can be a convenient way easy access to routine health care services. If you get to deal with colds, coughs, and flu, while limiting an ear infection, you can go to a clinic. And they are ER visits to emergency care, Stollar adds. The sysmeeting a market need. I view American Well as an tem is also convenient for people with many deonline version of a retail clinic — only it involves a mands on their time. physician rather than a nurse practitioner.” To arrange a visit, all a person has to do is go online at HMSA.com and enroll, just as one would do when signing up for an Ebay or an Amazon acAffordable count, says Stollar. American Well is appealing to the same market, “You go through the legal checklist, and then offering convenience, speed, and affordability. you’re in. Once in, you have things available to you. “First and foremost,” adds Doty, “it opens a new You can review your health summary based on market. It gives the health plan a way to provide easy claims data. There are certain assessments you can access to health care services to consumers, rego through. Microsoft HealthVault is a partner. If gardless of whether they are members or not. This you want a health record of your own, you can is something they are offering to the uninsured as enter information for that and then identify to the well as to competitors’ members. There is the posystem that you have an EMR, and that will be tential to really distinguish a health plan in a posishared in the system.” tive way from the competition.” MARCH 2009 / MANAGED CARE 33 http://www.HMSA.com
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