Internet is future of medical care, especially in country

Medical care will increasingly rely on the Internet, especially in rural areas and specifically for chemical dependency treatment, a health group executive said Wednesday.

Seventy percent of all medical care will be administered over the Internet within the next 20 years, said Barry Karlin. ‘‘Technology will revolutionize the world of treatment.”

By The Associated Press

http://helenair.com/articles/2004/10/08/montana/a09100804_02.txt

Technology could answer many rural health care problems, especially for chemical dependency, he said.

Karlin is the founder of eGetgoing, a program that offers interactive group treatment sessions over the Internet. He also is chief officer of CRC Health Group Inc., characterized as the largest provider of chemical dependency treatment in the country.

‘‘It’s live, audiovisual-based treatment online,” he said. Participants can hear but not see each other.

He said eGetgoing was founded in 1999 and has been involved with treating 600 people. Eighty percent of them completed the program and the relapse rates nine months after treatment are only 20 percent, he said.

Karlin was invited to explain the online treatment concept at an annual conference for addiction professionals in West Yellowstone.

This week’s conference partially focuses on alcohol and drug services in rural areas.

‘‘Twenty-seven million people have a (drug or alcohol) problem, 19.5 million need treatment and only about 3 million get treatment,” Karlin said. ‘‘There is a huge treatment gap that has been there for decades.”

Use of technology can increase access to treatment, he said.