Does Telemedicine Work?
Some patients are turning to doctors online to diagnose symptoms.
May 28, 2008 — -- With the days of routine doctors' house calls long gone, many patients have turned to telemedicine to get quick, convenient diagnoses.
While 30 million American said they have consulted their doctor via e-mail and another 70 million said they wish they could, only a third of doctors actually offer e-mail or telephone appointments, according to Manhattan Research, a market research and advisory firm for pharmaceutical and health care companies.
So many patients have turned to online resources to help pinpoint their problems.
Several online sites offer symptom checkers and access to medical experts — allowing patients to ask doctors for advice without ever meeting them face to face. But some critics question just how reliable such resources can be.
"Good Morning America" and "GMA" medical contributor Dr. Marie Savard decided to check some medical Web sites to see how they would advise a patient based on her stated symptoms.
First "GMA" took advantage of a free media trial at the subscription site Edocamerica.com. "GMA" asked for advice for one of Savard's patients, a 35-year-old woman with unexplained itching and fatigue.
Savard knew what was wrong with the patient. Edocamerica.com suggested the patient get blood tests to check for an underactive thyroid.
While the suggestion was reasonable, underactive thyroid was not the patient's problem.
Then "GMA" tried another site called LivePerson. The site posts doctors' pictures and credentials. Users pay by the minute or question for advice.
"It's totally, totally upsetting. It totally reduces medicine to piecemeal work," Savard said.
For $25, the LivePerson doctor also pointed to hypothyroidism. He suggested the woman get tested for diabetes, too.
Finally, "GMA" tried a site called Just Answer, where patients can get advice on what's ailing their cars as well as what's ailing their bodies. The price ranges from $9 to $30.
"I'm totally skeptical," Savard said before receiving the diagnosis.
