Many even send him on-line photos of their newborns. And for communicating with deaf patients, says Dr. Alan Freedman, a surgeon based in Great Neck, L.I., e-mail is far superior to faxes or a telephone translator. Dr. Finkelman uses as an example a parent calling a pediatrician about a child's fever. To ease that concern, some insurers have started setting up payment systems. In New York, Oxford Health Plans, Empire Blue Cross and Blue Shield and Cigna HealthCare are all considering reimbursement, or at least are monitoring the situation.
Empire is the furthest along.
The Blue Cross insurer this spring began rolling out a Web portal for its network of over 70,000 doctors. Once the doctors are familiar with the Web, an e-mail function may follow. While insurers can audit records of office visits, he notes, this isn't possible with e-mail. Though that's an extra, unreimbursed cost for patients, Mr. Snow points out that it's the patients who generally want the e-mail convenience. More doctors may eventually log on as they become comfortable with the technology.