Study: e-Visits may be just as effective as doctor visits

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But it could mean -- so called.

That suggests going on line for professional medical treatment may be a whole lot cheaper and jobs.

As effective is going to see that -- in person plus.

The whole lot more convenient for the patient.

And more Americans apparently agreed because more of them are making -- visits but.

Says the right direction for health care in America joining us now doctor -- -- he's -- -- position of emergency medicine.

At saint -- -- hospital in and the Barack's so virtual medicine and basically rendering a whole new round.

Even as it's a good idea good direction.

-- an exciting -- time -- it really is this allows the patients communicate with to what the doctor directly you know via the computer.

From their home from the pricing come for their own home during times like say a flu epidemic like we are now.

It would be a great way to keep patients who -- that bill out of the hospital out of the doctor's office where they could potentially spread viruses.

But you know being a physician were taught always to look listen and feel right as part of -- -- history and physical taking.

And you know we use our tools we use our lights and everything and restful more blood pressure blood pressure -- and all these great items that we used.

There is technology right now that's allowing this to be done from the home and transmitted to the physician.

They use video conferencing and Skyping -- can actually see the patient in the military use they actually use that to have specialists view.

Soldiers that are injured.

Close to the front lines where they can't evacuate the -- -- so it's very exciting it's very good.

But it's still in year old so there's some instances that where this would definitely not be a good idea.

Sure but because many times you may miss the subtle physical exam findings that you're gonna get from examining a patient looking at them and listening to them talking to them.

And touching them you might miss something more critical that's wrong with them hasn't developed so -- doctor might actually be a little bit more conservative.

Then had he actually in person.

Examine the pitch at that's exactly what they brought out in the research that we looked at -- times that more and a -- prescribed.

And the doctor takes a more conservative approach.

That can lead to you know antibiotic side effects increasing cost and -- things like that you know and and and patients getting immune to the benefits of the antibiotics on the road but one of the benefits you mentioned cost would be that easy visits would cost less.

They do according to the the study that we looked at they definitely cost less.

But for certain non.

A life threatening conditions like sinus infections urinary tract infections that can be if -- early and nipped in the bud you know.

Would would be -- I would think especially in rural areas where there's a great distance sometimes that a patient -- to travel to see a doctor may have to wait a long time.

The you could actually be examined if you're Skyping with a doctor a little bit more quickly a lot more quick.

Def definitely -- there are benefits that definitely our hospital.

Has a video conferencing capability where we can actually show burn patients to a burn center.

If we get answers that injured burn -- you can look at the burn patients think he needs to go to the burn center and actually show the picture of here shape.

To the referring facility yes we have NASA vacant prepped for the arrival of the burn patients.

Oh wow and this is used -- between facilities and when you're reading like radiology MRI reports and things like that you think you -- -- facility they read it at another.

So it is happening.

Definitely it is happening but we we have to use a little bit of caution too because we don't want the patients to think -- You know it's a substitute -- have to go for their normal physical in their yearly evaluations these are things that prevent problems from occurring.

And it's very important that patients don't get complacent and say -- -- just Skype my doctor wanna have a problem.

You need to going regularly to pick things up early on they could now put MRIs and X rays and a little CD.

-- where they can send it via computer without even having a CD from one doctor rather it's incredible technology to his own little chance we'll jump right.

Doctor Ernie -- -- part of this hospital in Nebraska to sing it great to see things -- and I'm -- very.

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Study: e-Visits may be just as effective as doctor visits

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