Telemedicine kiosk lets Fresno PG&E employees see doctors from across the country

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- PG&E employees can now use an on-site kiosk to be diagnosed by an online doctor. It's designed to help people avoid long waits for non-emergency ailments.

A doctor's diagnosis is just a touch screen away for PG&E employees in Fresno. Their telemedicine kiosk can read your temperature and blood pressure, and it also has a DermaScan camera so physicians like Dr. Chen in Washington State can diagnose patients.

PG&E employee Joe Sanchez calls the kiosk a helpful option because the doctors can prescribe medicine.

"It's definitely cold and flu season so we see a lot of runny nose, stuffy nose, coughs," he said. "So, now I have the ability to spend 20 minutes here at work versus driving 30 minutes across town and waiting another 30 minutes to be told I have a cold or just need some antibiotics for an infection."

All PG&E employees will have access to the kiosk located downtown. The company said the kiosk offers convenience and can help reduce the use of sick days.

"Someone who might be ignoring their symptoms because they don't want to take the time off or can't afford to take the time off from work they can go get a diagnosis and get the medicine and potentially not spread that cold or flu," Denny Boyles with the company said.

Peter Tasker of Live Health On-Line says these telemedicine kiosks are now used by a growing number of businesses.

"It's everything from manufacturing companies to technological companies to municipalities," he said.

PG&E employees covered by Anthem-Blue Cross are charged a $4.90 co-pay to use the kiosk.

Employees believe the kiosk will be used often and some like Sanchez said if he feels seriously ill he'll still go see his family doctor.