Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Direct to Consumer Telemedicine

  • Telemedicine and Technology (J. Portnoy & M. Hernandez, Section Editors)
  • Published:
Current Allergy and Asthma Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose of Review

Telemedicine uses technology to connect patients and data with providers at a distance. Direct to consumer telemedicine is a rapidly growing segment of the industry.

Recent Findings

The telehealth market has skyrocketed in recent years, making it a multi-billion dollar industry. Direct to consumer telehealth, dominated by the for-profit private sector, is the most popular form.

Summary

Direct to consumer telemedicine is a subset of telehealth that shows promise in increasing access to and engagement in medical care. Quality assurance, reimbursement, and regulatory oversight are important factors in assuring appropriate widespread adoption.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

Papers of particular interest, published recently, have been highlighted as: •• Of major importance

  1. Transparency Market Research. Telehealth market: global industry analysis, size, share, growth trends, and forecast 2017–2025 Mar 2018p1–2240 Rep Id: TMRGL41591 accessed 11/1/18.

  2. Edmunds M, Tuckson R, Lewis J, et al. An emergent research and policy framework for telehealth. EGEMS (Wash DC). 2017;5(2):1303. https://doi.org/10.13063/2327-9214.1303.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. National Business Group on Health. Large Employers’ 2018 Health Care Strategy and Plan Design Survey, date accessed 11/1/18.

  4. American Telemedicine Association 2017 National Executive Leadership Survey date accessed 11/1/18.

  5. Interstate Medical Licensure Compact. https://imlcc.org/; date accessed 11/1/18.

  6. Ragone N. Reimagining healthcare marketing: direct-to-consumer approach. Beckers Hospital Review. Sept 25 2017; https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/hospital-management-administration/reimagining-healthcare-marketing-direct-to-consumer-approach.html; date accessed 10/30/18.

  7. Macrae J, Morris T. Foreword from acting administrator of the health resources and services administration (HRSA) and associate administrator of the federal office of rural health policy (FORHP), U.S. department of health and human services. J Health Care Poor Underserved. 2016;27:vii–viii. Project MUSE, https://doi.org/10.1353/hpu.2016.0195

  8. •• Welch BM, Harvey J, O’Connell NS, McElligott JT. Patient preferences for direct-to-consumer telemedicine services: a nationwide survey. BMC Health Serv Res. 2017;17(1):784. Important article highlighting patient preferences for DTC telemedicine.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. https://nyulangone.org/press-releases/nyu-langone-health-launches-new-technology-platform-to-transform-digital-patient-experience; date accessed 11/1/18.

  10. https://teladochealth.com/en/newsroom/press/release/record-visit-volume-in-2017-preliminary-results-and-2018-financial-outlook/, date accessed 11/1/18.

  11. Portnoy JM, Waller M, De Lurgio S, Dinakar C. Telemedicine is as effective as in-person visits for patients with asthma. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2016;117(3):241–5.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Bodenheimer T. Coordinating care—a perilous journey through the health care system. N Engl J Med. 2008;358(10):1064–71.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. https://www.americanwell.com/press-release/american-well-cvs-health-and-cleveland-clinic-partner-to-deliver-on-demand-care-to-healthcare-consumers/; date accessed 11/1/18.

  14. https://www.crossix.com/, date accessed 11/1/18.

  15. https://www.lemonaidhealth.com/, date accessed 11/1/18.

  16. Kruppinski A, et al. Access medicine. Understanding telehealth. Date accessed 10/31/18 based on data from Uscher-Pines L, Mehrotra A. Analysis of Teladoc use seems to indicate expanded access to care for patients without prior connection to a provider. Health Aff (Millwood). 2014;33(2):258–64.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. https://www.directderm.com/why-directderm/conditions-we-treat/, date accessed 11/1/18.

  18. https://www.dermatologistoncall.com/conditions-we-treat/, date accessed 11/1/18.

  19. •• Resneck JS, Abrouk M, Steuer M, et al. Choice, transparency, coordination, and quality among direct-to-consumer telemedicine websites and apps treating skin disease. JAMA Dermatol. 2016;152(7):768–75. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamadermatol.2016.1774. Important article highlighting variability in quality and accuracy of skin disease diagnoses via asynchronous telemedicine.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. https://doctorondemand.com/what-we-treat/medical; date accessed 11/1/18.

  21. Halpren-Ruder D, Chang AM, Hollander JE, Shah A. Quality assurance in telehealth: adherence to evidence-based indicators. Telemed J E Health. 2018 Aug 2.

  22. https://www.medicoreach.com/top-4-challenges-thats-restricting-implementation-telemedicine/, accessed 11/2/18.

  23. •• Uscher-Pines L, Mulcahy A, Cowling D, et al. Access and quality of care in direct to consumer telemedicine. Telemed J E Health. 2016;22(4):282–7. Important article highlighting quality of care in telemedicine services.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. •• Elliott T, Shih J. American college of allergy, asthma, and immunology position paper on the use of telemedicine for allergists. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2017;1119:512–7. Important position paper on the use of telemedicine for allergists.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. LeRouge C, Garfield M, Hevner A. Patient perspectives of telemedicine quality. Patient Prefer Adherence. 2015;9:25–40.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Halpren-Ruder D, Chang AM, et al. Quality assurance in telehealth: adherence to evidence-based indicators. Telemed J E Health. 0:0.

  27. Shih J, Portnoy J. Tips for seeing patients via telemedicine. Curr Allergy Asthma Rep. 2018;18:50.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Staicu ML, Holly AM, Conn KM, Ramsey A. The use of telemedicine for penicillin allergy skin testing. J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract. 2018.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. NYU Langone Health and Bellevue Hospital Center, 462 1st Ave, New York, NY, 10016, USA

    Tania Elliott

  2. Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA

    Jennifer Shih

Authors
  1. Tania Elliott
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Jennifer Shih
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Tania Elliott.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of Interest

Dr. Elliott reports that Doctor on Demand was a previous employer. Dr. Shih is a consultant for Teva.

Human and Animal Rights and Informed Consent

This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

Additional information

Publisher’s Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

This article is part of the Topical Collection on Telemedicine and Technology

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Elliott, T., Shih, J. Direct to Consumer Telemedicine. Curr Allergy Asthma Rep 19, 1 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11882-019-0837-7

Download citation

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11882-019-0837-7

Keywords

Search

Navigation