A virtual health clinic is reportedly in the beta stage, i.e., under development in an experiment being launched by WellNet Healthcare in August, 2008. Kendra Marr, "A Social Network for Your Doctor, Pharmacist and Insurer" (washingtonpost.com, Saturday, August 16, 2008).
The virtual health clinic would reportedly be an online social network limited to people involved with WellNet's Health Insurance paradigm. Medical specialists and primary care providers will have access to a participating patient's medical records online. They will be able to communicate with each other by Instant Messaging. Patients will be able to schedule checkups online, write a journal about their health and about the health care they receive, and rate their physicians. Pharmacies may be linked to the doctors used by the patients.
On the other hand, prying eyes will also be able to see and do all of these things, too, if and when they crack the code.
Many implications are addressed in the linked newspaper article. Reportedly, WellNet "will give companies the program for free if they transfer their pharmacy benefits to WellNet. When it opens this service to others early next year, it will start charging a licensing fee." Id.
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