NW pilot pays docs for online consults

Health Management Technology, Jan, 2006

Virginia Mason Medical Center and Premera Blue Cross in Washington state are collaborating on a pilot program to offer Web-enabled doctor visits. The pilot reimburses physicians for online medical consultants with Microsoft Corp. employees and dependents seeking nonurgent care. California-based RelayHealth Corp. is providing the technology backbone for the pilot. RelayHealth provides a Web platform built on Microsoft technology that includes secure software and Web sites for online doctor-patient communications, including webVisits, a clinically structured online process for nonurgent care.

webVisits allows patients to use a password and respond to a set of questions tailored to their specific conditions. This produces a patient history similar to one developed at a doctor's office for an in-person visit. The completed information is sent to the physician who responds to the patient with his or her recommendation. The 18-month pilot, which launches January 1 with the participation of 100 Virginia Mason physicians, will be available initially to Microsoft employees who are established patients of the doctors. Premera will consider expanding the services to additional physician practices and member groups, based on the results of the pilot.