Blue Cross Blue Shield Online Healthcare Marketplace

An article in today's Boston Globe, "The doctor will see you now online: Why your next physician's visit may be just a click away," discusses the idea of virtual visits to the doctor's office. The article specifically mentions the Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) Online Healthcare Marketplace, which has been in use in Hawaii since January of this year. The following press release notes that Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota is introducing the program as well.

Program Description

The article and press release make a number of interesting points about the BCBS Online Healthcare Marketplace:

• Approximately 4,000 patients in Hawaii have signed up for the service and 1,000 have participated in a virtual visit.
  

• Participating patients can login an time of the day or night and see a list of specialists who are online and ready to participate in a virtual visit. Patients can choose between a video conference session, a phone consultation or an instant secure e-mail communication, so the system caters both to tech savvy patients who have webcams, but also anyone who can get online can also choose a phone consultation if they prefer. The price charged is $10 for a 10-minute "visit".
  

• While in-person medical visits certainly won't disappear anytime soon, the idea of virtual visits is likely to appeal both the MDs, who are looking for new revenue streams, and patients, who are looking for increased convienence
  

Standards

With regards to standards, BCBS's Online Healthcare Marketplace is fully connected to Microsoft's HealthVault service, including data from biometric devices and also abides by HIPPA rules. Patients have the option the share a full record of the visit with his or her primary care physician following completion of the online session.

Use Case

A patient wakes up in the middle of the night with a strange rash. He is able to login to the BCBS Healthcare Marketplace and participate in a video conference with a specialist who speaks Spanish, the patient's native tongue. The patient is able to show the MD the rash using his web cam and the doctor informs him that it an allergic reaction that be addressed simply by taking Benadryl. The patient was able to avoid a visit the emergency room, saving himself and his insurance company money. The doctor was able to earn extra revenue during a time when his office is normally closed.