News Release
June 18, 2008
HMSA’s New Online Health Care Project with American Well and Microsoft
Frequently Asked Questions
How will online health care work?
- Online health care is a service that consumers can use to talk to a local physician,
specialist, or other health care provider from HMSA’s participating provider
network live on-demand via the Web, or by email or telephone.
- Online health care is convenient and easy to use, and consultations are immediate,
secure, private and affordable. Consumers can consult with physicians without an
appointment and without leaving home.
Who is HMSA working with on this new service?
- American Well Inc. (www.americanwell.com), based in Boston, works to deliver innovative
health care communication solutions. Their Online Healthcare MarketplaceTM enables
live communication between a consumer and health care provider. Physicians can review
relevant patient information, talk with and see patients, prescribe medication as
appropriate, and recommend follow-up care.
- Microsoft Corp. (www.microsoft.com) has a HealthVaultTM platform that will become
available to all Hawaii residents. HealthVault is Microsoft’s online consumer health
platform and allows consumers to collect, store and manage personal health information
and share it with physicians, family members, and other trusted third parties. Consumers
can store information from multiple sources, including provider and hospital record
systems, home monitoring devices, and patient entries.
- This integrated solution will allow consumers to use their health information from
HealthVault to drive online consultations with providers on the American Well system.
What doctors will be available through this service?
- Hawaii residents will connect to a network made up of HMSA participating physicians
in Hawaii.
- Consumers can talk to a local physician from the privacy and convenience of their
home. The service is available 24 hours a day.
Will the consulting physician have access to the consumer’s medical records?
- For HMSA members, the physician will have access to the member’s HMSA health
summary.
- In addition, all Hawaii residents who use Microsoft HealthVault to collect, store
and manage their personal health information can make that information available
to the consulting physician.
How much will this service cost?
- Details are still being worked out and will be announced when the program is launched
in early 2009.
How will consumers use online health care?
- All Hawaii residents will access the service through hmsa.com.
- You do not have to be an HMSA member to take advantage of this service.
When does this service start?
- Online health care is scheduled to be available to all Hawaii residents in early
2009.
When will more details become available?
- Details on this service are being worked out, and more information will be shared
as it becomes available.
Do other health plans offer this service?
- No. HMSA is very proud to be the first health plan in the United States to make
this service available to our members and the community.
- This leading-edge innovation supports HMSA’s position as a national leader
in health care excellence. Online health care is part of HMSA’s tradition
of health care innovation and excellence, which includes programs such as the HMSA
Initiative for Innovation and Quality, our physician and hospital pay-for-performance
programs, and HMSA Now, our 24-hour digital cable channel.
Why is HMSA doing this?
- Online health care will fill an immediate need in Hawaii’s health care industry
and improve access to health care statewide for HMSA members and all Hawaii residents.
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