E-Visits: Why Are So Few Physician Practices Offering Them?
<p>Nothing can quite replace an in-person visit with your physician in his or her office. But being able to <a href="/publications/journal-article/2013/aug/electronic-communication-improves-access-barriers-its">consult by email</a> or by other electronic means can be a highly convenient alternative, and one that’s been shown to improve access to care as well as increase patient satisfaction.</p><p>Then why do only a relative handful of U.S. practices offer e-visits?</p>
<p>A new <i>Health Affairs </i>study of medical group practices with electronic communication programs in place points to problems of staff capacity, time management, and reimbursement. Based on their interviews with group leaders, Commonwealth Fund–supported researcher Tara Bishop, M.D., and colleagues find that "practice redesign and new payment methods are likely necessary for electronic communication to be more widely used in patient care."</p>
<p>Read more about the study’s findings on <a href="/publications/journal-article/2013/aug/electronic-communication-improves-access-barriers-its">commonwealthfund.org</a>.</p>