A Comparison of Care at E-visits and Physician Office Visits for Sinusitis and Urinary Tract Infection

Abstract

Internet capabilities create the opportunity for e-visits, in which physicians and patients interact virtually instead of face-to-face. In e-visits, patients log into their secure personal health record internet portal and answer a series of questions about their condition. This written information is sent to the physicians, who make a diagnosis, order necessary care, put a note in the patients' electronic medical records, and reply to the patients via the secure portal within several hours. E-visits are offered by numerous health systems and are commonly reimbursed by health plans.^1,2 They typically focus on care for acute conditions, such as minor infections.