The doctor visit of the future may be a phone call

Hardly anyone makes phone calls much anymore. Yet a growing number of people are ringing their doctors — using smartphones and tablets. Consumers, shouldering a greater share of their health insurance costs through high deductible plans, see phone- and Web-based visits as a cheaper, more convenient way to get treated for minor ailments. And with wait times expected to increase as doctors prepare for an influx of newly insured patients, telemedicine services are looking like an essential time-saver. At the same time, more employers and insurance companies are willing to pay for the services.