Primary Care - Virtual Health Care

     Virtual Health, a virtual service provider that supplements home health amenities to seniors and caregivers, announced today that its subscription-based service is available nationwide to assist seniors to live independently at home, while also assisting family caregivers. In addition to expanding their reach nationwide, Virtual Health has partnered with multiple healthcare providers. Tom Blue, the Executive Director of the American Academy of Private Physicians, a new partner of Virtual Health, explained the importance of technology in health care today. He stated, "The healthcare landscape is changing dramatically, and primary care physicians need to find innovative services which leverage technology, differentiate our services and offer opportunities for revenue enhancement for non-covered services."
    
     Tom Blue makes an interesting call to action for primary care physicians. With increased technology use, physicians need to provide services to entice patients to seek their care. According to a recent study by an New York University research team, 26% of children in the United States did not see a general health care provider in 2008, which proves it is wise for primary care physicians to implement innovative ways to connect with patients through the use of technology. With healthcare resources at their fingertips, many patients may choose to "Google" their symptoms as opposed to going to the doctor’s office. Creating value in technological services, like what Virtual Health is attempting, it is possible for primary care physicians to increase their client base and effectiveness of providing care.

     What are ways in which you use technology in your own practices?

     As patients, what would you like to see more from a technology perspective?