E-CLINICS: READ THIS BEFORE YOU LOG ON
With the click of a mouse, you can now step into
an e-clinic, a virtual medical office on the
internet. There, doctors and nurses review your vital signs
on a regular basis — usually for a fee — and
respond with personalized medical advice.<br
with chronic diseases such as diabetes, asthma, heart
disease, hypertension, and depression may benefit the most
from these new internet sites, says Edward Shortliffe,
MD, PhD, an internist and professor of medical
informatics at Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center in New
York City. “By investing a few minutes a day at home,
you can track your health, thereby avoiding
complications, frequent medical emergencies, and excessive
doctor visits,” he says.<br
substitute for face-to-face doctor visits or emergency
treatment. Before you sign up, take these
steps:<br
medical professionals. Others allow you to record and
track vital signs, and send questions about your
personal health to doctors or nurses.<br
CREDENTIALS. A good e-clinic will tell you if its doctors are
board certified and if nurses and other practitioners
have specialized expertise.<br
IN: Tell your doctor that you’ve added an e-cliic to
your tools for managing your chronic condition — and
consider running any e-advice past him/her
first.<br
you’re doing.<br
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