What do you think about the online healthcare like the website MDlive?

Years ago, while on vacation in Hawaii, I got a really bad sunburn. They had what they called “dial a nurse” who basically did just that. Asked questions, and did an evaluation over the phone telling me I had what sounded like 2nd degree burns and I should soak in a cool bath to help with the pain and if it didn’t feel better in an hour, to go to the ER to have a further evaluation. The cool bath worked and I didn’t need to go to the ER but when I got back from vacation, I had blisters on my next so I went to my GP. He said they were 2nd degree burn and the cool water helped stop some of the blisters but the ones I had were at my neckline of my bathing suit. Antibiotic cream and pain meds if I needed them and I was all better. I think if makes sense it is ok to do it but just be careful if they have you mixing potions in the sink—voodoo and witchcraft are everywhere. I will have to check it out to really give a final opinion.

Wait, a dr can actually prescribe medicine after doing only an online evaluation? If that’s true, I’m mind blown.

In my province, we have a 24/7 medical hotline that one can call for immediate advice. I’ve used it (at 3:00 am, no less), and found it very helpful. There isn’t an online equivalent, as far as I know, although I discovered it by doing online research.

I’d much rather call such a hotline (which is staffed by medical professionals) than ask people on a site like Fluther for medical advice.

But… prescribing medication online? That sounds like a horrible idea.

Prescribing meds online is like opening the barn door and letting the horses run free. I see so many legal issues with that. Nothing like encouraging drug dealers to call in ‘sick’.

As a doctor, I would be comfortable doing it for sunburns, sniffles, and twisted ankles. But more serious problems (like abdominal pain, chest pain) I would probably say “go to the emergency room”. Those two complaints alone represent 10% of emergency room visits anyway, so I think this service is of limited utility to patients who are weighing whether or not they should go to an emergency room.

Also, I have a story of something that I saw that I thought was a common cold, but the heart rate was 160 (normal for an adult less than 100). I thought it was weird, so I took a second look at the patient. With that number in hand, I now realized the patient looked like a severely hyperthyroid patient. I did some blood tests, and it was correct, and the patient was admitted. Total 180 based on the heart rate, which is hard to get over a webcam.

Also, I work with nurses, and I cannot count the number of times their help and intuition has pointed out things I’ve missed. Getting that second pass assessment is pretty vital to the way I practice medicine, and I don’t think it would be long before I make a mistake working y myself over a webcam.

@drhat77 Thanks for your answer, I was very interested in a doctor’s perspective. Do you think doctors will worry business will be taken away from them?

What I like about the idea is to have a doctor accessible by web for my chronic problems. Like my thyroid. I am a little difficult to stabilize, so I get blood tests every 2–3 months. I just need the results and I know to lower or increase my drugs myself. I have a long established history though. I think a web-based doctor will be more likely to get back to me, not mind talking for 5 minutes, and prescribe meds for me. I also check my CBC, iron, vitamin D, and every so often a CMP regularly. I take prescription D and take extra iron, adjusting the dose based on blood tests. If anything came up abnormal and needed further investigation I would gladly visit a doctor in person. Even for my thyroid I think it is good for me to be seen in person at least once every two years, do an ultrasound possibly.

I also would like to be able to use it for shingles, and even a sinus infection. I don’t ask for an antibiotic unless my sinus infection lasts over a week, I know the difference between a cold, flu and bacterial infection. I don’t go to the doctor unless I know it is likely bacterial. I have never as an adult gone to the doctor for flu or a cold. A doctor in real life doesn’t culture anything for those usually, they just talk to you, look at you, and prescribe.

I think it’s great you caught the thyroid, but I think there is a serious problem that women don’t have their TSH run once a year at their yearly visit. Especially after age 40. Why GYN’s or GP’s don’t test it in women when it is so common and an inexpensive test I don’t understand. I know it occurs in men also, but much more common in women.

I agree some things must be seen in person. New illness, or a change, the doctor needs to be able to touch and push and run diagnostics. And, I prefer my own doctors be fine with email or talking through the web and releasing my lab results through the web. Many doctors won’t do it. At least with the web based service, we know those doctors aren’t annoyed they are talking to us. Or, they have agreed to it anyway; agreed to give that service. Even if doctors are not annoyed, it feels like that to patients. We have been trained that doctors don’t want to talk to us.

Everyone gripes about urgent cares taking the most profitable business away from ERs and hospitals. My point of view is that there are customer service problems with hospitals and ERs and because they sat on those problems enterprising people set up shop to capitalize on that mistake. MD Live is clearly taking the same notion just a logical step further. I don’t think they are looking for continuity. WHen you want a doctor, you get who ever is on. They may be able to see your previous record, but that’s it. And I think it is set up for acute problems, because it may be too hard to get an urgent appointment at your doctor but you don’t want to spend half a day at an ER.

I just realized, MD live states they do not bill insurance, but you can submit your payment to your insurance company. Good luck get it covered though.

@drhat77 You gave me more to think about. Your right that basically the site is to handle non emergency “emergencies.” Which is not really what I am looking for.

It may be this sort of service breaks the ice for other online visits like follow ups and such.