Quality Of Care In Commercial Virtual Visits Varies

Quality of care varied among commercial virtual visit companies where consumers use websites to request consultations with physicians they have never met for visits that took place via videoconference, telephone or web chat. A audit with trained standardized patients who requested virtual visits for six common acute conditions handled by virtual visits found that in 69% of visits, the virtual physician asked all the recommended history questions and performed all the recommended physical examination maneuvers. In about 76% of visits, the correct diagnosis was named, but in 15% the wrong diagnosis was named, and in 8% no diagnosis was provided . . .