Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City has launched a pilot program that allows members to consult with their physicians via email. Blue Care and Blue Advantage plan members will be able to contact their physicians for consultations on non-urgent medical matters. As many as 500 physicians are expected to be participating in the project by the end of 2006. RelayHealth will provide the technology and manage the compensation plan for participating physicians.
This is an idea that has been around for a while and other providers are likely to be watching closely. Opinions of the program are divided. Supporters say email will make everybody happy, saving docs time and cutting down on needless visits while giving patients a new level of access. RelayHealth has had an equivalent program in California for some years and has roughly 3,000 physicians signed up.
- read this article from the Kansas City Business Journal