Managed care company pays for Internet care. (Short Takes).First Health Group Corp., a Downers Grove Downers Grove, village (1990 pop. 46,858), Du Page co., NE Ill.; settled 1832, inc. 1873. Downers Grove has undergone population growth and commercial development that include the construction of new office complexes. , Illinois-based health plan, has announced that it will be the first managed care company to arrange payment for Internet Internet Publicly accessible computer network connecting many smaller networks from around the world. It grew out of a U.S. Defense Department program called ARPANET (Advanced Research Projects Agency Network), established in 1969 with connections between computers at the consultations between patients and their network physicians. The health plan believes that through reimbursable re·im·burse tr.v. re·im·bursed, re·im·burs·ing, re·im·burs·es 1. To repay (money spent); refund. 2. To pay back or compensate (another party) for money spent or losses incurred. Internet consultations, patients will benefit from a greater continuity of and access to care. Many plan members already visit the First Health website for plan-specific and personalized per·son·al·ize tr.v. per·son·al·ized, per·son·al·iz·ing, per·son·al·iz·es 1. To take (a general remark or characterization) in a personal manner. 2. To attribute human or personal qualities to; personify. information, including a directory of network medical providers, status reports on medical claims, explanations of benefits, and eligibility information The Internet consultation will make it easier for members with chronic conditions like asthma, diabetes, and hypertension hypertension or high blood pressure, elevated blood pressure resulting from an increase in the amount of blood pumped by the heart or from increased resistance to the flow of blood through the small arterial blood vessels (arterioles). to keep in touch with their network physicians. Patients who have established relationships with their physicians will be qualified through the company's care support program for online consultations. Online communication can also be a time saver. Patients are able to avoid waiting times, phone calls to the doctors office, and the fear of bothering their doctor. Studies point to greater member satisfaction with continuity, access, and quality when alternatives to an office visit are available. Physicians are able to spend more time on patients with more acute needs, white continuing to provide timely care support to those with chronic yet stable conditions. James A. Hawkins is Publisher of Healthcare Briefings, a newsletter available in print on cassette A removable magnetic tape storage module that contains supply and takeup reels (hubs) in the same housing. Most audio tapes and videotapes use cassettes as well as backup tape technologies such as DAT, 8mm and Magstar MP (see below). , via fax, and on computer disk. He can be reached at 800/338-5486. |
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