By the end of the year, the number of eVisits around the world is projected to reach 100 million, according to a Deloitte prediction.
The 100 million mark is a 400 percent increase from the number of eVisits worldwide in 2012. Furthermore, the scale of the projected increase in eVisits could potentially save more than $5 billion in costs associated with in-person physician visits, according to the report.
For comparison, there were 1.2 billion in-person patient visits in 2010, half of which were to primary care physicians. Many of the symptoms and ailments taken to primary care physicians, such as prescription refills, sore throat and rashes could be handled via an eVisit, the report suggests.
eVisits aren't necessarily synonymous with telemedicine, although telemedicine can be one form of an eVisit. An eVisit can even be as simple as a patient filling out information on forms and questionnaires and submitting photos, according to the report.
Deloitte projects North Americans will be the most likely to use eVisits, accounting for up to 75 million of the 100 million eVisits in 2014.
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