I Was approached by a doctor friend with an Idea........(I,m sure its not a first)
Would RV'ers use medical services and medical Centers Geared toward them....
parking ,hookups for appointments & stays
would you use a primary care Physician on a secured Web connection like skype for your simple visits without having to go to the office...
Attend medical & health seminars/Services at RV Parks/resorts....if they were offered
use there Hospitals & medical centers and affiliations solely thru-out the country while you travel
This is an Idea that was placed @ the corporate level of marketing and they like the Idea.......I said I would put it out here and collect Responses.
they are part of a large chain of medical Centers nationally. and after a little chat at dinner this has evolved into what it is and are now looking at will it work
thanks....
Lucky Mike
Jack Mayer said
09:55 AM Mar 10, 2014
I would do it IF there were a LOT of center...like the network BCBS has. I would not drive hundreds of miles for an in-network Dr. or medical center.
I would definitely use a video Dr, for some things. Dr. Phil is backing "Dr. on Demand" that does a Dr "visit" for $40.
MarkS said
10:44 AM Mar 10, 2014
This is a great idea. Especially if the doctor would accept your insurance. I have tricare as my primary. I don't see that changing in the future. It would be nice to have a connection to a doctor over the computer for routine visits.
The hospital in Visalia, CA, where I live, has two parking spots for RVs. I think there is water and electric. At least one of the spots is usually being used.
CurveCarver said
11:07 AM Mar 10, 2014
Sign me on for this program. The majority of medical needs that many of us require are related to lab studies, prescription refills, and consults for a given condition. Most of this can be serviced remotely. A dedicated service would also be much faster and easier to make an appointment than seeing an MD at their office. Lab studies one would obviously have to get their blood drawn at a local lab facility or clinic anywhere USA, and of course the results can be electronically sent anywhere. If there is a procedure required it would be well worth driving a hundred miles to stay in network b/c the expense of going out of network is excessive. Having medical services available at rallies and shows is a great idea but a feasibility study might find it prohibitive unless the medical personnel were also traveling via RV.
In emergency medicine, even in large teaching hospitals there are live video consults that range from interpreting American sign language to Neurology assessments, and case management. With the burgeoning numbers of aging baby boomers, the serious shortage of family practitioners, remote MD services will be increasingly evident in the near future. Not only are the patients getting older, the doctors, nurses, and support service personnel are also aging well out of proportion to the up and coming. In the not too distant future this is going to dramatically alter the medical community paradigm. IMHO, the proposed concept is one to embrace and get on board early.
Camper Chronicles said
12:32 PM Mar 10, 2014
I think Urgent Cares are great...so an Urgent Care concept with full hookups would be fantastic
cherylbrv said
02:33 PM Mar 10, 2014
I'd like to agree with everything already said here as well. Definitely a service I would use, provided they were in my insurance network. I'm fortunate that (at least for now), our insurance coverage is nationwide, but being able to go to a facility where I can stay and plug in would be excellent. I'm thinking more along the lines of long term, such as my eventual hip replacement and DH's knee replacement. Probably not all that necessary for a quick exam. Web connection and Skype, etc. would be very valuable.
Jo And Craig said
03:51 PM Mar 10, 2014
I love the idea of skyping a doc. So many minor illnesses can be treated with a prescription, so that would certainly be convenient! As far as other services, I am thinking that would take an office visit or hospital stay, but not quite sure how that would work. And, it would have to be on my insurance plan. Alternatively, if there was an insurance network of facilities/doctors/hospitals specifically for RVers, at affordable rates, that would be even better. I think it would take the stress off of those whose coverage is NOT nationwide. More info would be most helpful. Thanks, Mike. Great idea!
suse1023 said
04:12 PM Mar 10, 2014
oh heck yes!
manycats said
04:39 PM Mar 10, 2014
Definitely yes. Doctor's visits and prescription refills are a nightmare when you're more than halfway on the other side of the country. Wonder how that would work with Medicare for us geezers?
LibertyLinda said
05:15 PM Mar 10, 2014
I super love this idea. Do they need a soon to be full-timing registered nurse to help? I would love it if it didn't get muddled up by insurance. I will gladly pay cash for this rather than pay for insurance - like it used to be.
Lucky Mike said
05:47 PM Mar 10, 2014
it is something in the talk stages right now...
It was brought up because I was able to do it last summer on the road , all my vital signs are fed thru the computer....even the heart monitor.
At this time I pretty much have free run of the east coast as long as I dont cross the Mississippi...
my lab work was done at simple stops.....and I talked with the doctors online in a video conference !
if I have problems, Im directed to the nearest facility that can handle me and all my records and referral gets there before I do. !
The three doctors that watch over me are thinking that this would be great for normal office visits....or for pre scheduled Refferals
Technomadia said
05:54 PM Mar 10, 2014
We would love to be able to easily find and establish ourselves with providers who supported our RVing lifestyle. Things like remote consultations, reading lab results from afar, centralized medical records accessible from within the network, referring us to 'local' providers for speciality needs and being able book appointments without needing to know months in advance where we'll be. And of course doctors who are aware that booking a follow-up appointment or additional diagnostics in 2 weeks might just not be practical - it may need to be handled remotely, or with a doc down the road.
Of course, the network of these providers would need to be covered by our insurance plan, or the network would need offer some sort of qualified ACA plan themselves suitable for RVers.
Our Assurant Health plan does include 'Teledoc' for internet and telephone appointments - for things like respiratory infections and basic stuff. But actually having a primary care physician and access to a network of RVer aware physicians would be excellent... we've gone without for many years because of how difficult it is to find a physician we like and can schedule us in.
I wouldn't care as much about onsite hook-ups (but that would be a nice bonus), except for perhaps inpatient services so that our partner/family/loved ones could live onsite.
- Cherie
Terry and Jo said
06:33 PM Mar 10, 2014
OK. This one is NOT related to the medical part, but the campsite part. I would STRONGLY recommend they be set up for pull through parking. Back several years ago, we made a mad dash from our vacation spot in Colorado to Wichita, KS because Jo's oldest sister had heart surgery. We were told that they had "rv parking." They did, if you were in a fairly small motorhome. When we got there, I had to pull into the RV area and then pull up and back up MULTIPLE times in order to get turned around where I could back into an RV spot.
As we aren't traveling yet, I hesitant to comment on the medical facility and treatment part. At least until I've had my annual physical in June and talk to our current primary doctor to see what kind of "arrangements" that we can make for possible "remote" care.
Terry
kb0zke said
06:43 PM Mar 10, 2014
This is definitely an idea worth pursuing. Please keep us posted.
WestWardHo said
09:37 PM Mar 10, 2014
Love the idea. We, too, are on Tricare for Life in addition to Medicare (like MarkS) for which we are so grateful. A single source having our records would be incredible. Right now, like many others, we return to our former stick & bricks hometown for annual check ups, but stuff does come up on the road (example: I am prone to pneumonia starting from a head cold several times a year and I'm tired of telling docs I need an antibiotic NOW!) and docs having access to my/our records would be awesome.
However, I am an informed, intelligent consumer of medical care with high expectations so any old "doc in a box" might not work for me although we have seen amazing care from lesser well known places. Accountability will be important.
Sherry
Alie and Jims Carrilite said
07:18 AM Mar 11, 2014
I/we would most defiantly use a service like this. The only reason we have to go back to NC this fall is for our Doc appointments. Having a service that we could use on the road and providers that understand would be a big benefit.
Bob and Lindy said
09:13 PM Mar 11, 2014
We like the idea. 'The devil is in the details.' Keep us posted.
PJ Vagabond said
09:33 PM Mar 11, 2014
I am also in favor of this idea. I'm a retired Med. Tech (clinical laboratory scientist) and plan to work occasionally on the road. I certainly am interested in the idea, not only as a patient with a couple of health conditions, and will be talking to my local doctor about phone consultations as I move on down the road, but also as an opportunity for those full-timers in the medical fields.
mylittledogs said
04:47 AM Mar 12, 2014
Sounds like a great idea, I would jump in for the ride.
Kenny & frances
Jo and Ben said
08:53 AM Mar 12, 2014
Great idea Mike. I had a talk with my MD a couple of weeks ago about our plans to full-time and she is supportive, but after a year goes by and they don't want to renew your prescriptions anymore without an office visit . . .
My husband and I are both RN's and will be working on the road as well, so also interested from both perspectives like PJ Vagabond :)
I Was approached by a doctor friend with an Idea........(I,m sure its not a first)
Would RV'ers use medical services and medical Centers Geared toward them....
parking ,hookups for appointments & stays
would you use a primary care Physician on a secured Web connection like skype for your simple visits without having to go to the office...
Attend medical & health seminars/Services at RV Parks/resorts....if they were offered
use there Hospitals & medical centers and affiliations solely thru-out the country while you travel
This is an Idea that was placed @ the corporate level of marketing and they like the Idea.......I said I would put it out here and collect Responses.
they are part of a large chain of medical Centers nationally. and after a little chat at dinner this has evolved into what it is and are now looking at will it work
thanks....
Lucky Mike
I would definitely use a video Dr, for some things. Dr. Phil is backing "Dr. on Demand" that does a Dr "visit" for $40.
The hospital in Visalia, CA, where I live, has two parking spots for RVs. I think there is water and electric. At least one of the spots is usually being used.
Sign me on for this program. The majority of medical needs that many of us require are related to lab studies, prescription refills, and consults for a given condition. Most of this can be serviced remotely. A dedicated service would also be much faster and easier to make an appointment than seeing an MD at their office. Lab studies one would obviously have to get their blood drawn at a local lab facility or clinic anywhere USA, and of course the results can be electronically sent anywhere. If there is a procedure required it would be well worth driving a hundred miles to stay in network b/c the expense of going out of network is excessive. Having medical services available at rallies and shows is a great idea but a feasibility study might find it prohibitive unless the medical personnel were also traveling via RV.
In emergency medicine, even in large teaching hospitals there are live video consults that range from interpreting American sign language to Neurology assessments, and case management. With the burgeoning numbers of aging baby boomers, the serious shortage of family practitioners, remote MD services will be increasingly evident in the near future. Not only are the patients getting older, the doctors, nurses, and support service personnel are also aging well out of proportion to the up and coming. In the not too distant future this is going to dramatically alter the medical community paradigm. IMHO, the proposed concept is one to embrace and get on board early.
I love the idea of skyping a doc. So many minor illnesses can be treated with a prescription, so that would certainly be convenient! As far as other services, I am thinking that would take an office visit or hospital stay, but not quite sure how that would work. And, it would have to be on my insurance plan. Alternatively, if there was an insurance network of facilities/doctors/hospitals specifically for RVers, at affordable rates, that would be even better. I think it would take the stress off of those whose coverage is NOT nationwide. More info would be most helpful. Thanks, Mike. Great idea!
I super love this idea. Do they need a soon to be full-timing registered nurse to help?
I would love it if it didn't get muddled up by insurance. I will gladly pay cash for this rather than pay for insurance - like it used to be.
It was brought up because I was able to do it last summer on the road , all my vital signs are fed thru the computer....even the heart monitor.
At this time I pretty much have free run of the east coast as long as I dont cross the Mississippi...
my lab work was done at simple stops.....and I talked with the doctors online in a video conference !
if I have problems, Im directed to the nearest facility that can handle me and all my records and referral gets there before I do. !
The three doctors that watch over me are thinking that this would be great for normal office visits....or for pre scheduled Refferals
Of course, the network of these providers would need to be covered by our insurance plan, or the network would need offer some sort of qualified ACA plan themselves suitable for RVers.
Our Assurant Health plan does include 'Teledoc' for internet and telephone appointments - for things like respiratory infections and basic stuff. But actually having a primary care physician and access to a network of RVer aware physicians would be excellent... we've gone without for many years because of how difficult it is to find a physician we like and can schedule us in.
I wouldn't care as much about onsite hook-ups (but that would be a nice bonus), except for perhaps inpatient services so that our partner/family/loved ones could live onsite.
- Cherie
OK. This one is NOT related to the medical part, but the campsite part. I would STRONGLY recommend they be set up for pull through parking. Back several years ago, we made a mad dash from our vacation spot in Colorado to Wichita, KS because Jo's oldest sister had heart surgery. We were told that they had "rv parking." They did, if you were in a fairly small motorhome. When we got there, I had to pull into the RV area and then pull up and back up MULTIPLE times in order to get turned around where I could back into an RV spot.
As we aren't traveling yet, I hesitant to comment on the medical facility and treatment part. At least until I've had my annual physical in June and talk to our current primary doctor to see what kind of "arrangements" that we can make for possible "remote" care.
Terry
However, I am an informed, intelligent consumer of medical care with high expectations so any old "doc in a box" might not work for me although we have seen amazing care from lesser well known places. Accountability will be important.
Sherry
Kenny & frances
My husband and I are both RN's and will be working on the road as well, so also interested from both perspectives like PJ Vagabond :)
Sounds like something to be explored and refined.
CCC