TeleDoc: Damn the physical exam

I’m pretty sure the first malpractice case will kill them off:

But David Karp, a risk management consultant in Cloverdale CA, thinks TelaDoc’s physicians could face some potential liability. “Of course, some minor conditions can be diagnosed over the phone,” says Karp. “In fact, doctors do this all the time. But when you take away the ability to see the patient, to palpate the body, check the skin color, evaluate the patient’s affect, you take away some of the important elements of diagnosis. That’s a real liability risk even if you know the patient well. When the patient’s a virtual stranger, the risk is even greater.”

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