I went to Wellmed recently to try to find out how healthy I am. This is an excellent way to have access to information that, if it is accessible, is scattered in a lot of places. Wellmed also is setting up the exchange of data with electronic medical records and PBMs, and soon will provide patient access to lab results and medical records, handle prescriptions, and schedule appointments. One area for tremendous growth is online pharmacies. There are 400 pharmacies on the web now.
Ease of use is another issue.
If they are bedridden, disabled, or live far from a retailer, they can have something delivered by ordering it online. One thing this will do is pressure PBMs and physicians to require that physicians create prescriptions electronically and transmit them directly to a pharmacy. The prescribing physician selects the patient's health plan, then the drug. The system screens for interactions and enforces formulary compliance. The prescription is printed or transmitted electronically to a pharmacy.