The Cost Of Virtual Doctor Visits

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Doctor visits no longer warrant a trip to the doctor, with the increasingly popular virtual visits offered through healthcare companies. Similar to how certain issues warrant patients going to the emergency room versus urgent care, other factors allow people to see a doctor via video chat versus one in-person.

"The most common things would be allergies, coughs and colds, rashes," said Dr. Robert Kantor with UnitedHealthcare. "Conditions where there's not a need for a doctor to touch you—where there's not a need for a lab test or an x-ray."

Jen and Rob Zavtiz shared their experience using a virtual visit, necessary while on vacation in Montana. Rob had a bad reaction to a sting and needed help, but didn't know where to find it. The family downloaded the app designed for UnitedHealthcare, and their insurer connected them with a physician on call.

"We did it, had the call, and [got] the prescription," said Rob Zavitz. "By the time we got down there, they were working on the prescription. It was less than 45 minutes end-to-end where I had the [medicine] and we were on to the rest of our vacation."

The convenience didn't cost the Zavitzes any more money than their typical co-pay. However, it does come at a cost for physicians. Kantor quoted the American Medical College Group in predicting a 120,000 physician shortage in the next decade, largely due to burnout among primary care physicians.

Virtual visits help make the connections easier and facilitate some convenience, however, Kantor says the industry is still trying to figure out how to cut down on burdensome and time-consuming administrative paperwork necessary for each patient.