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(单词翻译:双击或拖选)
People Unsure About 'Virtual' Doctor Visits
From VOA Learning English, this is the Health & Lifestyle report.
这里是VOA慢速英语健康生活报道。
Being able to find high quality health care at an affordable1 price is an issue in many countries.
以可负担价格享受高质量医保是许多国家面临的问题。
In the United States, Walmart, a large chain store, is trying to help. It is offering something new to its employees: cutting the cost of a doctor’s appointment to only $4.
美国大型连锁商店沃尔玛正在试图提供帮助。沃尔玛为雇员提供了一种新选择：将看医生的花费降至只需4美元。
The Associated Press (AP) news agency notes that Walmart once required its employees to pay $40 for the same service.
美联社指出，沃尔玛曾要求雇员为相同的服务支付40美元。
Why is the price so low, you might ask? What’s the catch?
你们可能会问，为什么花费如此之低？会不会有问题？
The catch is that the patient and doctor must meet electronically -- over the internet. This online service is called “telemedicine.”
问题是患者和医生必须通过网络使用电子设备见面。这种在线服务被称为“远程医疗”。
Walmart is the latest major business in the United States to push its workers toward a high-tech2 way to be examined and treated by doctors. Thanks to telemedicine, people can talk with medical experts from the privacy of their own homes, often using a secure video connection.
沃尔玛是最新一家鼓励员工通过高科技方法接受医生检查和治疗的美国大型企业。得益于远程医疗，人们可以在自已家中与医疗专家交谈，他们通常会使用安全的视频链接。
Many in the U.S. healthcare industry see this as a good time to teach people how telemedicine services can help them. The AP reports that widespread use of smartphone technology, an easing of rules and employer interest are all fueling the expansion of telemedicine.
美国许多医保行业相关人士认为这是教导人们远程医疗服务会如何帮助他们的好时机。据美联社报道，智能手机技术的广泛应用、规定放宽以及企业主的关注均推动了远程医疗的发展。
Supporters say online visits make it easier for patients to see an expert or quickly find help for problems considered non-emergencies. But many people continue to go to the doctor’s office when they are sick.
支持者认为，在线看诊使患者更容易享受到专家诊治，或者可以更快地为非紧急问题寻求到帮助。但是许多人生病之后仍会前往医生诊所看诊。
Some healthcare needs are well-suited for telemedicine
一些医保需求非常适合远程医疗
Some areas of healthcare seem like a good choice for telemedicine. It can help people seeking treatment for insect bites or skin conditions. Patients who have had medical treatments and cannot move around easily can use telemedicine for their follow-up visits. Also, people seeking help for mental health issues can benefit from the privacy that telemedicine gives.
一些医保领域似乎非常适合远程医疗。它能帮助人们寻求蚊虫叮咬或皮肤疾病的治疗。曾接受过医疗护理而且行动不便的患者可以借助远程医疗进行复查。另外，在心理健康问题方面寻求帮助的患者也可以受益于远程医疗提供的隐私保障。
Still, many people do not use telemedicine
不过，仍有许多人没有使用远程医疗
But generally, Americans have been slow to try virtual health care.
但普遍而言，美国人接受虚拟医保的速度相当缓慢。
The AP reports that 80 percent of middle-size and large U.S. companies offered telemedicine services to their workers in 2018. That is up from only 18 percent in 2014. However, the AP found that only 8 percent of eligible3 employees used telemedicine at least once in 2017.
据美联社报道，2018年有80%的美国中大型企业为员工提供远程医疗服务。这只比2014年增加了18%。但是美联社发现，符合条件的员工中只有8%在2017年至少使用过一次远程医疗。
This seems to support what many health care experts say -- people are often not willing to change their way of thinking about health care.
这似乎证实了许多医保专家的说法——人们通常不太愿意改变他们看待医疗服务的方式。
Who uses telemedicine? And who doesn’t?
哪些人使用远程医疗？哪些人没有使用？
Compared with seeing a real doctor in person, some people may think the quality of telemedicine is not as good. Parents, for example, may feel they are not giving their child the best care if they use a virtual doctor appointment.
与亲自看真正的医生相比，一些人可能认为远程医疗的质量不如前者。举例来说，父母会认为，如果他们预约虚拟医生，那可能无法为自已的孩子提供最佳治疗。
Older adults may also not want to see a doctor online. Experts say that one reason may be that older people may look forward to their in-person doctor appointments.
其他成年人可能也不想在线看医生。专家表示，其中一个原因是年长者希望亲自看医生。
The company InSight Telepsychiatry provides virtual mental health services. Geoffrey Boyce, the head of the company, spoke4 with the AP about the people who use telemedicine.
InSight Telepsychiatry公司提供虚拟心理健康服务。该公司董事长杰弗里·博伊斯在接受美联社的采访时谈到了使用远程医疗服务的患者。
Boyce explained that, “going to the doctor’s office is a big event” in the lives of many older people. He said it is something they look forward to.
博伊斯解释说，在许多年长者的生活中，“去医生诊所是件大事”。他说这是他们期待的事情。
Another reason some adults may not use telemedicine services is trust.
一些成年人不使用远程医疗服务的另一个原因可能是不信任。
Tom Hill, age 66, lives in the state of Indiana. Hill told the AP he has no plans to ever use telemedicine. He does not buy anything online, let alone do something as personal as seeing a doctor. He says, for him, it is important to look his doctor in the eye and shake hands.
66岁的汤姆·希尔生活在印第安纳州。希尔对美联社表示，他没有使用远程医疗的计划。他没有在网上买过任何东西，更不用说在线看医生这种私事了。他说，对他来说，重要的是看着给他看诊的医生的眼睛，和医生握手。
However, for some people -- such as young people and busy students -- telemedicine might be a good choice. It can cut down on the time away from work. It can also cut down on the cost of doctor visits.
不过，对年轻人和忙碌的学生来说，远程医疗可能是个不错的选择。它可以节省休息时间。还可以削减看诊费用。
Words in This Story
affordable – adj. having a cost that is not too high
chain store – n. one of numerous usually retail5 stores having the same ownership and selling the same lines of goods
What’s the catch? – slang phrase : “What is the drawback?” This means something sounds too good to be true. So, a person asks if there any hidden problems.
virtual – adj. being on or simulated on a computer or computer network
high-tech – adj. technology involving the production or use of advanced or sophisticated devices
benefit – n. a good or helpful result or effect
eligible – adj. qualified to participate or be chosen
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affordable
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| adj.支付得起的，不太昂贵的 | |
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high-tech
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| adj.高科技的 | |
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eligible
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| adj.有条件被选中的；(尤指婚姻等)合适(意)的 | |
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spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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retail
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| v./n.零售；adv.以零售价格 | |
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