South Florida: A Virtual Checkup with Your Doctor

Although the world is increasingly becoming more 24/7, making an appointment with a doctor is so last century. Want a checkup the same day? Good luck. Want to swing by in the middle of a weekend? Don’t hold your breath. And, if you live in the suburbs and must see a specialist near an urban hospital, get ready to take on enough traffic to make you sick. However, there may be a cure for these inconveniences. Aventura-based AmeriGroup Holdings recently launched MDWebLive.com, which offers webcam appointments with physicians on a flexible schedule that includes nights and weekends. There are obvious limitations to what a doctor can offer without a physical examination, but simple diagnoses that require just a look over, a chat and a prescription can work online. The company’s Web site lists dozens of conditions its doctors can treat, including cold, flu, headache, allergies and heart problems. It also treats children who are at least 2 years old. Doctors can’t prescribe controlled substances through MDWebLive. Dr. Stephen Q. Parker, president of AmeriGroup’s medical association, said any patient with a serious condition or in need of a more thorough exam will be referred to the nearest medical facility. Visits are recorded for playback by either doctor or patient, and the medical records are stored with MDWebLive. The company set up an electronic prescription service to send orders to the patients’ designated pharmacy. All of that convenience isn’t free. Physicians must pick up part of the company’s medical malpractice insurance premium, but the company provides its software at no cost. Patients must pay a $99 annual membership fee, which includes a webcam, and $40 per consultation.

Please click on the link below to read the South Florida Business Journal article:

http://southflorida.bizjournals.com/southflorida/business_resources/tech_and_innovation/stories/2008/06/20/story10.html

For more information on defending medical malpractice and nursing home matters in Florida contact Howard Citron at The Citron Law Firm, P.A. – www.citronlegal.com.

New York: Doctor Discipline Bill May Hinge on Malpractice Changes

Passage of a landmark physician discipline bill may hinge on whether state lawmakers and Gov. David A. Paterson also can agree on a package of proposals long desired by doctors to reduce the risk of medical malpractice lawsuits and their malpractice insurance costs. Defying Paterson on a bill he proposed, state Republican lawmakers said they want to address not only disciplinary matters but also rising malpractice insurance premiums that have driven doctors out of business. “There is an urgent need to address malpractice costs as they are affecting the consumer on Long Island and New York City,” said Sen. Kemp Hannon, chairman of the Senate Health Committee. Malpractice insurance premiums increased 14 percent last year and then 15 percent this year. A Paterson administration official who spoke on condition of anonymity said the governor opposed linking physician discipline and malpractice costs. Supporters of Paterson’s bill said the compromise efforts were an attempt to defeat the legislation, as another powerful lobby, trial lawyers, opposes many efforts at tort reform, that is, changes in malpractice law more favorable to doctors.

Please click on the link below to read the Newsday article:

http://www.newsday.com/news/local/ny-lidocs0621,0,1626708.story

For more information on defending medical malpractice and nursing home matters in Florida contact Howard Citron at The Citron Law Firm, P.A. – www.citronlegal.com.