Press Releases
IMPACT OF ONLINE DOCTOR-PATIENT COMMUNICATION TO BE STUDIED BY UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BERKELEY PROFESSORS
Study to Focus on Utilization, Patient Satisfaction of the Healinx webVisit™
Alameda, CA, May 9, 2001 -- Healinx Corporation, the leading provider of secure Web-based, doctor-patient communication services, in conjunction with Blue Shield of California, today announced a study conducted by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley (UCB) to determine the impact of online communication on the relationships between doctors and their established patients.
The study, conducted by Paul Gertler, PhD, and Kristiana Raube, PhD, professors at the Haas School of Business and the School of Public Health at UCB and Directors of the Graduate Program in Health Management, will evaluate the webVisitT and its impact on the number of office visits and the satisfaction levels of patients utilizing the online service. Of particular interest is whether online clinical communication will reduce non-urgent office visits or billable phone consultations.
The study will involve nearly 200 Blue Shield primary care physicians, OB/GYNs and pediatricians and thousands of consenting PPO members divided into test and control groups. Patients will be asked to evaluate immediacy of physician response and quality of care provided; physicians will be asked to assess improvements in patient communication, the effectiveness of the service, and the time required to use the technology.
Unlike e-mail, the webVisitT is secure, clinically structured and provides a mechanism for physician reimbursement. Blue Shield will reimburse physicians participating in the study at a rate of $20 per qualified webVisitT.
"Reimbursement makes online communication more feasible and convenient for physicians," said Giovanni Colella, MD, president and CEO of Healinx Corporation. "With this practical incentive, we are confident that the study will provide evidence about the webVisitT's ability to improve patient access to physicians, reduce unnecessary office visits and increase patient satisfaction."
Study to Continue for 12 Months
The study, which begins in April, will include surveys conducted via phone and mail to determine
patient utilization and satisfaction levels. "Our objective is to provide members with
the most convenient and efficient channels by which to access their physicians," said
Jeffrey Rideout, MD, chief medical officer, Blue Shield of California.
"Blue Shield has launched this initiative because it leverages Internet usage to maximize
the ease and quality of care, and provides doctors with a clinically-based technology that
simplifies communication."
About webVisit™
Using the HealinxT service, doctors and their patients can schedule appointments, order prescriptions
and renewals, and perform webVisitT consultations. Doctors can customize message routing
to follow existing workflow and tailor their personal Internet Web site, with all the Healinx
communication services, to their unique practice needs.
Patients involved in the study begin the webVisitT by logging onto the system at www.relayhealth.com or through their physician's Web site. They are asked to describe their symptoms and update their medical history using an interactive interview that transforms the patient's responses into a complete, concise structured narrative for the physician. This differentiates the webVisit™ from other Web-based systems used for doctor-patient communication. Complete with the patient's health profile, the HealinxT service additionally offers self-care information for patients and provides physicians with customizable treatment options, a triage mechanism and a prescription feature. With all of these tools, physicians can efficiently respond to patients with an appropriate course of action.
Blue Shield of California
Blue Shield of California, an independent member of the Blue Shield Association, is one of
California's leading health plans. Its health maintenance organization and preferred provider
organization have a combined membership of 2.3 million and annual revenue of $3.5 billion.
For more information on Blue Shield of California, visit www.mylifepath.com.
About Healinx
Healinx Corporation is the premier provider of Web-based, doctor-patient communication services.
The Healinx system enables secure, clinically structured, and auditable communications between
doctors and patients. Healinx earned this position by using state-of-the-art technology,
strategic relationships, and a unique understanding of the needs of doctors and consumers.
Healinx helps doctors address their need to recoup income while providing efficient, secure
online services to their patients. At the same time, Healinx offers patients convenience
and access -- the convenience of communicating directly with their physicians at anytime
from anyplace. By streamlining the doctor-patient relationship, Healinx enables payers to
improve member satisfaction and retention and reduce their exposure to rising healthcare
costs. For information, visit www.relayhealth.com.
AUC Berkeley - Graduate Program in Health Management
The Graduate Program in Health Management trains the top health management leaders in the country,
by providing students with the necessary skills and background to take leadership roles in
health services and health technology industries. Based at the Haas School of Business and
the School of Public Health, the Program combines rigorous academic training with practical
applications in real-world settings. The Director of UC-Berkeley's Graduate Program in Health
Management, Paul Gertler, PhD, is a Professor of Economics and Health Policy at the Haas
School of Business and School of Public Health at the University of California, Berkeley.
Kristiana Raube, PhD, MPH, is the Executive Director of the Program and an Adjunct Professor
at the Haas School of Business. For information, visit http://haas.berkeley.edu/advantage/health.htm.
