Move over on-site clinics; telemedicine kiosks may very well be the wave of the future.
Dramatic technological advances in recent years have many employers embracing the concept of kiosks in which employees who are feeling unwell can consult with nurses or doctors remotely.
A telemedicine kiosk is cheaper for the employer than setting up a full-time clinic at the office, and it's cheaper for both the employer and the insurer than a trip to an urgent care center.
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Kaiser Health News describes the story of a school district employee in West Palm Beach, Florida, whose workplace includes a kiosk. In response to abdominal pain, she consulted a nurse after experiencing nausea. The nurse was able to administer a stethoscope remotely and tentatively diagnosed the woman as experiencing liver problems associated with an intestinal infection, and recommend that she get an ultrasound.
Only recently, such a scenario would have been unimaginable. And it only cost $15.
Notable private sector employers are getting in the kiosk game as well. Jet Blue just announced it would be adding one for its employees at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City.
Insurers are also encouraging the trend. Anthem says it has installed 34 kiosks for 20 employers over the past year-and-a-half.
As Kaiser notes, however, it's likely unwise to bet on kiosks being a long-term trend. Eventually, people will likely be able to accomplish much of what takes place in a kiosk on their own smartphone. Kiosks also cost between $15,000 and $60,000 to install.
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