eVisits enhancing web-based health management

Another facet of the HealthTrak portal has been gaining popularity in the recent months: The ability to virtually visit the doctor's office. Known as eVisit technology, the HealthTrak portal grants patients the option of conducting an online doctor's visit. EVisits are available through the online portal, and have yet to become accessible through the mobile app.

An eVisit is tailored for a HealthTrak patient who is struggling with a non-pressing, commonplace health problem; someone who wants to check in with a doctor but does not necessarily need to leave the comfort of home to do so. Typical symptoms addressed by eVisits include rashes, back pains, sinus infections, cold symptoms and headaches. Patients sign into their HealthTrak accounts, answer questions about their conditions, submit the information, and await the doctor's response.

As Martich explains, "We walk through an algorithm with the patients online. They describe their symptoms, submit a report to the doctor, and the doctor will get back to them, typically within two to four hours. Our average response time is two and half hours. Patients run through an algorithm that the doctor has created to become diagnosed. It's essentially ePrescribing."

[See also: Stat Health gives employers alternative to ER visits.]

Besides clear convenience, eVisit technology offers cost-efficiency as well. It has won coverage from several insurance providers; in many cases, eVisit-users will not have to pay for the service.

"Insurance companies did not necessarily want to pay for simple email conversations between patients and doctors. We both wanted something deeper and richer than that," Martich said, "And that's what eVisit technology is."

The magnitude of eVisit performance has increased significantly over the past year. Whereas a UPMC doctor might have dealt with eight to nine submissions per week in early 2010, by January of 2011 participating doctors began to expect up to eight or nine eVisits a day.

"I think it's a good adjunct to care, it's helpful convenience care," Martich said of eVisit technology. "It's not necessarily the full spectrum of care. However, I do think the full of spectrum of care will come to involve many things, things we couldn't even imagine ten years ago, like the iPad. Eventually, care will evolve using a whole range of technology: chatting, texting, apps. We just don't know right now."