"SEE a doctor online" - soon we won't have to leave the house!

Tegan- missed this bit. If they do not have access to notes, the much bigger security risk is for the patient's health- they won't be aware of previous conditions which may be relevant, family history of say, heart disease, and mainly the drugs the patient is taking, or past allergies to some drugs. On this point, will those doctors be able to prescribe?

Prescribing without knowing what other medication is taken (and some patients might not rembember clearly when speaking to doc, in confusion, sick state or, sorry, the elderly with a less than perfect memory.

I wonder what they will do with the hypercondriacs who will be phoning daily, in the middle of the night, etc? Will they do like the A&A, if you call them more than 3 times in a month- they warn you they will struck you off their membership list- lol.

Most surgeries have digitalised notes- so they are avaialble to all practice partners on the screen when they consult, and also from the doctor's home computer for writing insurance reports, but also in case of emergency out of hours- so they can have a quick read before setting off (yes, some doctors still do home visits).

As they can't listen to the chest, take BP (although they could ask you to do it on a good quality home monitor and show them the screen), look into your ears or feel your tummy (and other bits and pieces even less acessible)- I suppose it is an advice line- and that the doctor on Skype would tell you to go to your normal GP or A&E (let's hope they do not send all to A&E for minor things). It would be absolutely perfect for hypocondriacs, lol- but also perhaps for isolated people who find it difficult to go to the surgery, young mums who have a tendency to panic (I did- 22, no family in the country and left on my own for days and nights at a time), etc. You could show the doctor the rash, say, and s/he would tell you to do the glass test on Skype- etc.

Good point Tegan.
Are they computerised already? Or is it already being done?
When I go to the doctors, they seem to be able to look back a few years on the computer. Not sure how far back they can see.
Perhaps the records are still in house though.

I find it very tempting. Just think - no more sharing a waiting room with coughing sneezing people.

Good point janerowena - I couldn't be a nurse or a doctor because of the never ending emotional pressure.

BUT I don't know if I'm imagining this but I seem to remember a different sort of attitude. Can't quite describe it but it involves a certain reaching out to the patient and the relatives.

Looking back I was faced with a wall of brisk efficiency but there were one or two medical people who had a kindness about them - it meant a lot.

Going back to the on line doctor. There could be a place for this considering how difficult it can be to get an appointment which I think is one of the reasons so many people go to A and E.

Will these online doctors have access to our medical records? Bit of a security risk if they do .

They can't get too involved, it could destroy them. They need to think of us as broken machines that need fixing, or lose their sanity. I have a friend who is like a wrung-out rag every day, a nurse, she hides her feelings all day but is often distraught with all the awful stories she hears and things she sees.

I think all this is just to save money. Some of it is makes sense but what has happened to the good old family doctor.

It all seems to be getting a bit like a tick box exercise.

Is it just me but I'm getting disillusioned with the medical world. I've had too much to do with the world of doctors and nurses lately - they are all very professional and business like - but there's something lacking.

They don't seem to have any warmth.

I both phone and email my GP and he is very happy with that as we live so far away and he knows that getting to the surgery is a real faff for us. When I make that call, he has my history up on screen and can relate it to the conversation.

My GP uses a triage system, and managed to diagnose a broken rib over the phone. He will also prescribe if necessary after a phone call so I think the use of a webcam can't be far away.

My doctors will do a telephone call which can be booked like an appointment. They do them after the morning surgery rush and are very useful if it is more of a question about an existing condition rather than a new diagnosis. Saves them and us time and is very convenient compared to making the trip to the surgery then sitting amongst a lot of poorly people waiting to be seen!

They are also good at fitting you in if it is an urgent problem usually on the same day.

Now I have clicked on the link.

Getting medication quickly to your door could prove useful.

I cant think of many circumstances where, especailly at £12 a month, that it is going to suit.
The so called worried well may take up the offer.
But as vq says, so many things, even minor things are peered at closely, so the system as it stands is going to only suit a minority of the population I would have thought.

Busy people with spare cash might find it handy though, thinking about it.

Mmm. I am able to ask for a telephone conversation with my GO, and find them very useful for asking basic questions about medication or the next stage of referral, for example. It does mean I am not clogging up the car park (or struggling to get into it!) and it probably takes less time than an actual visit to him.

Non too sure about online, though. Not yet.

How intriguing. It does not say a webcam is used, but it does seem impossible for a diagnosis to be made without seeing the person - or examining them. How do they take blood for instance!? Anya! - where might the webcam go?!

VQ you conjured up an image of someone having to focus their webcam on themselves so tne doctor could see exactly what was wrong with them.

That's OK up to a point.....

What about the things the doctor assesses that can't be seen on the internet?

What about body language messages that face to face consultations can pick up on? How does the doctor take your blood pressure or know what a bump/lump/area feels like?

I will stay with my old fashioned face to face consultations.