Study: Doctors Seek Added Dose of Internet
By John L. Micek
NewsFactor Network
March 21, 2001
Many doctors believe new regulations that would make claims processing systems compatible may be the best way to get physicians to integrate the Web into their practices.
The Internet could revolutionize the practice of medicine by 2003, and doctors have shown that they are willing to integrate the Web into their practices, a newly released study reveals.
Among the 215 physicians and practice administrators queried by the Health Technology Center and Harris Interactive, only 7 percent said they are currently using Internet technology for prescribing medications.
However, 96 percent of those surveyed said they believe the Internet will simplify the practice of medicine within the next couple of years.
Compatibility Complications
The study, done in conjunction with Price Waterhouse Coopers, found that 93 percent of those surveyed cited a "lack of system compatibility across healthcare organizations," for blocking attempts to implement Web-based claims processing and procedures for keeping records.
"Physicians identified six Internet-enabled services as 'essential' for future success and found value in them because they reduce administrative costs, speed payments for care and improve quality of care," the study found.
Among those services were diagnostic reporting, claims processing, pharmaceutical information, the purchase of medical and office products, e-mail communication with patients, and the electronic storage of medical records, the study said.
"Physicians are actively seeking to integrate computers and the Internet into their practices and do not appear to need further convincing that technology will play an increasingly prominent role," HealthTech CEO Molly Joel Coye said.
Waiting for Regulatory Push
The study also found that about 70 percent of the doctors surveyed were willing to have the U.S. government mandate the use of Web technology for processing Medicare and Medicaid claims.
"Physicians from the reporting organizations believe that action by the U.S. Health Care Financing Administration or by the major health plans that would require participating physicians to use the Internet for services such as claims processing will be needed to cause rapid migration to Internet-enabled services," the study found.
At the same time, only 59 percent of those doctors surveyed said they felt a switch to Web-based claims payment would cause that kind of change, but that should produce enough inducement to U.S. regulators and insurance companies to begin making the switch, researchers said.
"These results should provide encouragement to regulators and health plans alike that the physician community is prepared to respond affirmatively to well-executed and coordinated plans for widespread Internet-based healthcare transactions," Coye said.
What Comes Next
A majority of doctors surveyed -- about 93 percent -- told researchers that they believe that industry-wide standards could be an effective way to drive change. About 84 percent said they think that would be the "preferred" way to bring about universal use of the Internet.
Doctors also said they want either industry associations or health plans to take the lead in vetting a "standardized suite" of Internet-enabled services, and saw little reason to have government sort out those issues, the study said.
"This study should serve as a wake-up call to all physicians who are not yet prepared to take advantage of Internet-enabled clinical and administrative services," HealthTech official Wendy Everett said.
"These results show that an Internet-enabled practice is rapidly approaching critical mass, and medical providers who do not have these capabilities will soon be at a real disadvantage."
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