Between strangers: the practice of medicine online.
An emerging consensus supports online communication between patients and physicians in an existing relationship to improve the quality, timeliness, and efficiency of medical care. Patients are also seeking medical care online from physicians they have never met, ranging from one-time interactions for a second opinion to psychotherapy. These practices call for a new regulatory paradigm to ensure accountability, establish acceptable parameters for online medical practice, and distinguish online health care delivery from online health information. The new patient-physician encounters also challenge the medical profession and society to reexamine core assumptions that define medical practice and the patient-physician relationship.
Catholic Health Care System, New York City, USA.
Tracy E
TE
Miller
Arthur R
AR
Derse
D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000592:standards; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011050:Policy Making; D019114:Remote Consultation / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000592:standards; D012941:Social Responsibility; D014481:United States