American Well Case Write Up

1. Do you share the assessment of the founders regarding the potential of online care to revolutionize healthcare delivery? Why or why not?

I share similar assessments with the potential aspects of online care, particularly with real time kiosk technology. Hospitals and clinics could install care kiosks with web cam equipped computers in work site health clinics as well as emergency rooms, allowing patients in the waiting areas to consult with a physician in real time over an internet connection while waiting to be seen. By the time hospital personnel could see the patient, they would already have preliminary information about their condition. This process would increase the hospital's overall efficiency by expediting the patient’s visit. Retail clinics could supplement their services by installing these kiosks. American Well's research stated a “patient preference to receive care – even Online Care – at dedicated healthcare sites such as retail clinics. Since NP (Nurse Practitioners) were usually the highest level clinical staff at retail clinics, offering access to physicians through an online service could boost patients' perceptions of the legitimacy of retail clinics.” (Case) It is very intriguing to explore how this type of information technology can potentially decrease the issues regarding health care flow management issues in some parts of the country. There are inner city emergency rooms that have been so busy that they have had to transport less critical patients to other facilities because they were too busy. Potential also lies with the fact that the technology platform is so versatile and cost-saving that it could be applied to other areas of healthcare. For example, delivery mechanisms such as emergency vehicles, pharmaceutical and doctor interaction, and chaining information across all of the health industry entities, all presents great potential to achieve cost efficiencies, provide better customer service, and boost revenues.

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