Doctors are looking toward patient visits via Internet and email communications to lower costs and clinic congestion.
This story is but half a story. I owned stock some years ago in a company that offered an Internet medicine program, in which the patient hooked up devices to measure pulse, respiration and blood pressure, and had a realtime consultation with the doctor via Internet. Major parties interested in the concept were the military services, who saw the value of being able to diagnose and treat minor conditions from a distance. Nursing homes and facilities for the elderly were also interested. It's a perfect fit for situations where a patient needs regular monitoring, but not necessarily a face to face visit.
Keep an eye on this trend. While it's no substitute for personal treatment and care of serious conditions, it could be a worthwhile approach for routine medicare matters provided serious problems are ruled out.