In the study, researchers posed as patients with various dermatology cases including inflammatory, infectious and neoplastic conditions, using stock photographs. Researchers used 16 different regional and national DTC websites and smartphone applications serving California residents. They recorded information for 62 clinical encounters.
JAMA Dermatology published the study’s results in its May 15th issue.
Here are six findings:
1. Despite the researchers using fake names and information, not one of the telemedicine websites probed them for identification or expressed any concern about whether the researchers were using a pseudonym.
2. The websites automatically signed up 68 percent of patients to a clinician, providing no choice about who the patient would prefer to see. The ability to have a choice is a part of the medical code of ethics.
3. Merely 26 percent of telemedicine clinicians disclosed information about their licenses, raising concern for patients who may be seeing someone without a valid medical license under the impression they are seeing a fully-licensed clinician.
4. Twenty-three percent of the telemedicine clinicians asked for the patient’s primary care physician’s name.
5. Only 10 percent of clinicians offered to send medical records to the patient’s primary care physician.
6. Seventy-seven percent of telemedicine clinicians offered a diagnosis and 65 percent offered a prescription for the medical program. Researchers expressed concern about the quality of these diagnoses and prescribed treatments.
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