PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The question of whether doctors should charge patients for over-the-phone or online medical advice is heating up.
Over the years, physicians have traditionally offered free advice over the telephone. It was a wonderful way to help people and determine if they need to be seen in the office. The goal was to catch illness early on and triage who needed to be seen.
The development of electronic patient portals, which allow people to contact their doctor at any time, seemed like a way to improve on the telephone-based service. However, questions that come through the portal are often quite lengthy and extremely specific and often require a specific response or multiple responses.
Should doctors be charging for it? Some are beginning to. The debate is a significant one that could affect patients’ early access to important advice. In addition, most doctors are now employed by larger entities, like health systems, and may not be able to make their own decision on the matter.
KYW Newsradio’s Medical Reports are sponsored by Independence Blue Cross.