Online Medical "Visits": Good Idea?

You're likely to have to go a long way to find a doctor who will come to your house, but many doctors are now as close as your computer.

They do "e-visits," offering consultations online, via e-mail. You describe your symptoms, and the doctor gives his or her advice, also by e-mail.

On The Early Show Monday, Dr. Rick Kellerman, president of the American Academy of Family Physicians, went through the advantages and disadvantages of such visits, telling when the're probably appropriate, and when in-person exams are probably in order.

For reliable health information, Kellerman suggests clicking on FamilyDoctor.org and RevolutionHeath.org. You can't get a doctor's opinion on them, though.