A new e-health option we mentioned last year, is now up and running. In an article from Texas, we get more details about how NowClinic operates, and projections for the future of online medicine.
NowClinics are positioning themselves as a short-term convenience, not a replacement for a traditional doctor visit. From the article: “An online doctor won’t prescribe controlled substances, for example, and will limit quantities if there are concerns about the patient. For example, when a patient seeking high blood pressure medication doesn’t have recent blood work on file, the physician might order just a few pills to get him through the weekend.”
They see themselves filling a need for patients who do not have a primary care physician. “…emergency rooms or urgent care centers become their best alternative… Nearly 80 percent of emergency room visits are for routine problems.” “A significant amount of waste occurs because consumers go to the ER for nonemergency issues.”
NowClinics are hoping to see Online Healthcare as a mainstream option. “By 2013, an estimated 25 percent of care that can appropriately be delivered online will be, according to OptumHealth.” OptumHealth is the parent-company that is spearheading the NowClinic system.
Lawmakers and regulators are still apprehensive about some of these technologies. Some states still require (or at least aspire to) a face-to-face visit for a prescription, but there are efforts to revise those rules.
At KwikMed, we stand by the safety and effectiveness of our online medicine technology. Our system is the result of years of research and development, by a team of physicians. Our research found that a typical patient could go to a doctor and receive a prescription for Viagra after 3 minutes and 5 questions with his doctor. That was average; sometimes it was less time and fewer questions. Our technology has a logic-driven database with thousands of questions. Depending on the answer to each question, a patient will answer between 20 and 200 questions to generate their detailed medical history. This profile is then reviewed by a doctor to determine if a requested prescription is safe and medically appropriate. Only then may a prescription be written and filled. We only offer medications that can be distributed safely in this manner, and we are overseen by a state medical board and a state pharmacy board. We constantly strive to allay the concerns of regulators, and demonstrate the safety and efficacy of our process. So far, regulators have licensed us to handle a select few lifestyle drugs, and administer lab tests. We look forward to a future where the concerns and apprehensions of regulators and lawmakers are appeased enough for us to offer more products and services with our advanced technology, increased safety, and cost-effectiveness.