Will Workers Comp Turn To Online Doctor Visits?
Online doctor visits are now readily available and inexpensive. I came across the DoctorsOnDemand website last night. Some of the notations that peaked my interest from their website were:
- Free visit- everyone likes free stuff
- All board-certified physicians
- Android/Iphone Apps
- $55 or $90 for Skype visit
- $40 per visit- check employer page
- 90 seconds to physician access
I did not actually see any notation for WC treatment. However, my Six Keys To Saving On Workers Comp point out that quick medical access is a huge claims cost saver.
As WC lags so far behind on most subjects, hopefully some company, insurer, TPA, or this website will take the bull by the horns and start using e-medicine. I am sure there are many legal hurdles to having this service for WC.
The NWCDC (National Workers Comp and Disability Conference) last November in Las Vegas had a few vendors that mentioned e-medicine platforms. No one company was pushing the envelope similar to the Doctors On Demand website.
One of the main concerns from a claims standpoint would be the lack of an in-person visit to establish legitimacy of injury, etc. An e-visit could be excellent follow up care as an alternate to an in-person doctor’s office visit.
The co-founder of the service was none other than Dr. Phil. Check out their press section under the Press tab. The list of sources is very impressive.
The closest info that I found to a WC injury was their sports injury page.
According to the website:
Sports and exercise activities are an important part of any healthy lifestyle. But with increased activity comes the increased risk of injury. In the absence of an obviously severe injury like a broken bone, most doctor’s visits concerning sports injuries are patients looking for reassurance that the injury is not more severe.
Sports injuries often fall into either a minor category (ankle sprains, wrist sprains, shoulder or rib soreness) or a severe category (broken bone, severely torn ligament/tendon).
The experience of a diagnosis and evaluation of sports injuries with a Doctor On Demand Video Visit is exactly like being in a doctor’s office. For example, if you injured your ankle playing basketball, the physician can determine the severity of your injuries through a few exercises, learning more about where it hurts and the degree of pain on a scale of 1-10. If the physician determines your injury is severe (e.g. a broken bone or tear) then the physician may recommend follow-up with a specialist. And if it’s a simple sprain, home care like icing or a brace may be all that you need. With chronic cases like tennis elbow or pitcher’s arm, the same thing is true –– the physician can often determine severity and treat minor injuries through a Doctor On Demand Video Visit.
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