Direct to Consumer Telemedicine: Is Healthcare From Home Best?
Suzanne G. Bollmeier, Emily Stevenson, Patrick Finnegan, Scott K. Griggs
Abstract
Direct-to-consumer (DTC) telemedicine is increasingly popular and enables patients to obtain medical advice and treatment via electronic media (e.g., computer, telephone, or smartphone) without a prior doctor-patient relationship. Convenience, accessibility, and home delivery make DTC telemedicine attractive to patients. Concerns about DTC telemedicine include: a lack of regulation, transparency, and an established patient-provider relationship (physician and pharmacist). In future, researchers, providers, and insurers need to better understand the concerns and challenges that this new form of healthcare poses.
Topics & Concepts
TelemedicineTransparency (behavior)Health careMedical adviceInternet privacyHealthcare deliveryPharmacistBusinessMedical emergencyMedicineNursingPharmacyComputer scienceComputer securityEconomic growthEconomicsPharmaceutical industry and healthcareClinical practice guidelines implementationPatient Satisfaction in Healthcare