Of more concern, email communications are not reimbursed by most payers. As the number of emails to providers grow, will their reimbursement suffer, as they spend more time emailing and less time in patient exam rooms? Or, will they just do more of both, despite potential work-life balance concerns?
If providers do take on more risk for patients, as expected, reimbursement challenges could work themselves out by way of new payment models: capitated payments would provide reimbursement for any patient care activity, including email. Could email, or perhaps telemedicine, become the new in-office visit? It’s likely, as patients and employers seek care that is cheaper and more convenient. If this is the case, what does it mean for providers?
When I look at my professional life compared to those of my friends and family in healthcare, I’m always in awe of their ability to stay on the feet all day, and a little bit jealous that their days are spent with face-to-face interactions, moving from room to room, with little time to check their email or cell phones. Now though, the changing dynamics of provider-patient interaction, coupled with technological advances, mean healthcare is changing, and how physicians spend their days could change along with it.
