Cincinnati hospital system tests $50 virtual doctor visits

Christ Hospital is piloting a telemedicine program in which primary care doctors consult with patients via smart devices for $49. It might take a while for both the broader medical community and the public to get used to the concept, said Timothy Cappel, executive director of population health for Christ Hospital. "I think the docs, some of them, aren't quite ready for it," Cappel said. "It just feels so different." Despite such reluctance, "it's coming, and it's going to happen," Cappel said Tuesday during a health care panel discussion sponsored by the Cincinnati chapter of Commercial Real Estate Women. "You can schedule a time and have a visit right online."