The doctor is in -- virtually

BOSTON, Jan. 6 (UPI) -- The e-version of a house call will be introduced in Hawaii Jan. 15, said America Well, a Web service linking patients face-to-face with doctors online.

The service is for people wanting easier access to physicians because they are uninsured, don't want to wait for an appointment or spend time traveling to a clinic, Roy Schoenberg, co-founder and chief executive of American Well Systems, told The New York Times.

Schoenberg, a physician, said the American Well, based in Boston, sparked interest of policymakers wanting to expand access to healthcare, the Times reported Tuesday. Insurers in other states will soon offer the service, he said.

Patients use the service by logging on to participating health plans' Web sites, Schoenberg explained. Doctors are scheduled for 10-minute appointments that can be extended for a fee. The physicians can file prescriptions and view patients' medical histories through the system.

Some critics of doctors' e-visits expressed concern that doctors would miss important symptoms if they do not see patients in person. Others said they doubt the poor and uninsured would have the broadband connection and Webcams to use the service.