 | The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
|
| The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
Marcos Athanasoulis, DrPH, Research Computing, Harvard Medical School, 33 Swarthmore Rd, Wellesley, MA 02482, 781-237-3521, marcos@athanasoulis.net, Meg Young, MS, RelayHealth, 1900 Powell Street, suite 600, Emeryville, CA 94608, and Eric M Zimmerman, MPH, MBA, Product Marketing, RelayHealth, 1900 Powell Street, suite 600, Emeryville, CA 94608.
Summary This presentation reviews findings of the webVisit Pilot, an independent study of doctor-patient online communication.
Materials and methods The webVisit Study was conducted between April 2001 and May 2002 with 282 physician participants, 3,688 patient participants, and 3,390 matched Control Group patients.. Participants included Blue Shield of California, ConnectiCare, and ten Silicon Valley Employers Forum self-insured employers.
Researchers analyzed healthcare claims and associated costs for Treatment Group and Control Group, comparing healthcare cost experience before and after the introduction of RelayHealth. Physician and patient satisfaction were measured using random sample telephone surveys conducted during 2002.
Results Available healthcare claims data through February 2002 demonstrated that Treatment Group members experienced statistically significant reductions in healthcare claims compared to Control Group claims for the same period. Reduction was observed in physician office claims (p<.01) and in total office healthcare claims (p<.05). Patient satisfaction: · 78% rated convenience as good to excellent compared to a phone call · 66% rated quality of their online consultation as "good" to "excellent" compared to an office visit Provider satisfaction: · 72% found the service easy to use and 55% easy to integrate into their routine · 56% prefer a webVisit over an office visit for non-urgent problems
Discussion The webVisit Study demonstrates the potential of a secure online communication service with clinical structure and physician reimbursement to satisfy physicians and patients while substantially reducing overall cost of care. These findings come at an important time as health plans, consumers and employers face potentially staggering increases in healthcare costs.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Access and Services, Communication Technology
Related Web page: www.relayhealth.com
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: RelayHealth
I have a significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.
Relationship: Employment