Coming soon: Tele-EMS

A company called SwiftMD has been contracted by a Montana "Preserve" to deliver "emergency medical services, via the phone, Internet or bi-directional video, to all residents and Ameya Preserve employees and their families."

I found this article (essentially a press release) on Marketwatch.com as part of my daily searches of EMS news. From the article:

SwiftMD, the revolutionary telemedicine firm, today announced that it has been selected by Ameya Preserve in Bozeman, Montana, to be the sole telemedicine supplier for each of the 300 new homes built in its development. Under the terms of the agreement, the first of its kind in the United States, the company will provide emergency medical services, via the phone, Internet or bi-directional video, to all residents and Ameya Preserve employees and their families. Each home will be equipped with all necessary technological components for the service - an important feature as the nearest healthcare facility is 45 minutes away. The homes are expected to be completed in 2011.

Does anyone else think this is as huge as I do?

From the "Conditions we treat" section of the SwiftMD site:

For most members, SwiftMD is they first call they make at the onset of illness or injury. If it could be treated by a routine office visit or a trip to an urgent care center, SwiftMD is an excellent choice. In fact, the majority of routine and urgent care cases can be safely treated by a SwiftMD physician over the phone.

Our services are appropriate for most people from 3 to 69. To ensure patient safety we do not treat other age groups or people with some conditions, including pregnancy-related problems and psychiatric disorders.

When you call our toll free number you will answer a few questions to determine whether or not a telemedicine consultation is appropriate for your condition. If not, you will be advised to visit a doctor for a physical exam, or call 911 if it’s a life-threatening problem. Otherwise we’ll schedule an appointment and you’ll be talking to a SwiftMD doctor within an hour.

It is rare to find me relatively speechless. Quite frankly I am not sure whether to sign up and see if I can buy stock in this company--or wonder about the quality and direction this takes medicine in...

What do you think?