People just like you! HMSA’s Online Care users reflect all walks of life, in age, gender and ethnicity. HMSA members and nonmembers, women and men, and even children (with a guardian) have used HMSA’s Online Care since its launch in January 2009.

Over the past few months, we have seen patterns emerge among Online Care’s most frequent users: 62 percent are female, 60 percent are between 26-45 years old, and 75 percent of conversations happen with internal medicine or family providers.

Meet a Patient

Meet a Doctor

Enrollment and conversation growth

Since launch, nearly 10,000 consumers have enrolled in HMSA’s Online care and more than 20 percent of them have already engaged with providers in live encounters on a wide variety of medical issues and across 23 specialties. More than 30 percent of conversations resulted in a prescription. Conversation volume continues to grow, with ER physicians experiencing the highest growth rate, from 1 percent in early 2009 to 24 percent by the end of the year.

How do users rate the service?

• 87 percent of consumers rate their interaction with their Online Care physician as “excellent” or “good.”
• 88 percent of physicians rate their Onlince Care experience “excellent” or “good.”
• 81 percent of consumers rate their Online Care experience as “excellent” or “good.”

When are they using Online Care?

Online Care visits happen 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Online Care use peaks between 8 a.m. and noon, and 8 p.m. and midnight.

Consumers throughout Hawaii have embraced Online Care

Since January 2009, consumers from six islands have used Online Care. Those from Oahu represent 73 percent of the total conversations, the Big Island represents 14 percent, Maui represents 9 percent, and Kauai, Lanai and Molokai represent 4 percent together. Importantly, consumers from the six islands are speaking to providers from Oahu, the Big Island, Maui and Kauai.

What types of issues are discussed?

Patients use Online Care to address a range of issues, from acute needs to questions about their health. Upper respiratory issues and infections are the most common issues raised by patients; complaints of fever and diarrhea are also common. More recently, some patients have used Online Care to ask questions about H1N1 (swine) flu.

Common issues:

• Acute Bronchitis
• Acute Sinusitis
• Cough
• Acute Pharyngitis
• Nausea

• Urinary Tract Infection
• Hypertension
• Allergic Rhinitis
• Viral Illness
• Insomnia

• Acute Conjunctivitis
• Strep Throat
• Diarrhea
• Fever
• Contact Dermatitis