Remember the recent phone company commercial about the guy popping up all over the country in some of the most bizarre locations. He was constantly talking into his cell phone asking, "Can you hear me now? Good." Telemedicine has become the new darling in the health care world, with early adopters now saying, "I told you so," and new users saying, "I wish I had bought this earlier." Insurance plans, health care providers, employers, benefits companies and many other organizations all over the nation are touting the coolness of talking with a physician or medical facility and getting a diagnosis. Telemedicine is revolutionizing health care.

The ability for consumers to address medical issues telephonically with a health care provider is a huge savings in time and money for not only individuals and families, but also for employers. The concept is not new, but the acceptance factor over the past couple of years continues to increase dramatically as more and more people want to talk with a doctor without having to wait in an office or clinic for hours on end until the physician has time to see them. What a bonus!

Billed as an answer to worsening doctor shortages, telemedicine is poised to rise steeply throughout the nation as PPACA brings more people onto the insurance rolls. Telemedicine is one of the fastest growing trends in health care. According to the American Telemedicine Association, more than 10 million Americans benefit each year from the technology — and that number is projected to double in the next few years. Private insurers are increasingly paying for telemedicine, and federal officials propose expanding Medicare payments to telemedicine providers.