How Emails help improve Doctor Patient Communication

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Emails between Doctors and Patients

• Email messages can allow for clear instructions post a clinic visit, eliminating or correcting misunderstandings about treatment plans.

• Emails can also include helpful educational information for patients and links to other resources.

• They create a written record that can be useful for the doctor to refer back to.

However …

• Not every communication between a doctor and patient is best done by email.

• Doctors need to see patients in person to accurately gauge the patient's health and determine if a plan of care is being followed or whether changes in care are needed.

• But …there are plenty of interactions that don't require face-to-face communication and that can be more effective via email.

One Doctor’s Opinion

• “In my own experience, making myself available via email gives my patients a sense of direct access to me. It sends a message that I care and that I'm available to answer questions in a timely manner. It builds a bond between us that has tangible benefits for my patients' health .” – Dr. Joseph C. Kvedar (http://on.wsj.com/wXs3Ny)

Another Doctor’s Opinion

• “Emails are no way to practice medicine. Providing care includes an ability to interpret body language, facial expressions and other silent forms of communication that allow doctors to assess patient reactions to information about their health and the accuracy of their responses to questions. Email communications eliminate the ability to interpret these important signals” - Dr. Sam Bierstock (http://on.wsj.com/wXs3Ny)

What Studies Say?

• A 2005 study found that E-mails were found to be a more convenient form of communication.

• Satisfaction of both patients and physicians improves when communicating via e-mails.

• The volume of messages and the time spent answering messages if using e-mails does not increase

• Improves the doctor-patient relationship• Sources: http://1.usa.gov/MKUvj5 and http://

bit.ly/KUjRv1

Patient Satisfaction Results

Patient Convenience Time Spent to Access Doctor

Sources: http://1.usa.gov/MKUvj5 and http://bit.ly/KUjRv1

Most People(Patients) are using E-mails

• E-mail is a widely used form of communication across a majority of India’s population

• A 2012 study found emails to be the most preferred form of online communication

India 4th in number of internet users

69% Internet users are from non-metro

cities.

51 % are salaried employees in

corporate houses.

91% uses internet for Email

Email Usage among Physicians Increasing

Why are emails a good choice for Doctors

• Proven Standardized Technology• Makes doctors more accessible• Allows a more thorough exchange of information • Creates a Written Record of your communication• Allows attachments of different document types of

varying sizes: forms, help sheets, patient records, images, lab results and more

• Minimal Disturbance in your work-flow • You can access email from almost anywhere(with

mobile technology)• Builds Trust!!!

How can Emails be used by Clinics/Doctors?

How Emails Improve Clinic Management?

• Reduce unnecessary calls for appointments , address queries and more.

• Reduce unnecessary visits for patients - For report collection, prescription repeats, etc.

• Reduce unnecessary Paper work- Sending record via secure email eliminates the need of maintaining multiple paper records

• Emails can be used to widely spread clinic related offers, forms and flyers related to various health check plans & services available at the clinic

How Emails Improve Quality of Care?

• Emails are a Responsive Technique to communicate between Patients and Doctors

• Improves the ability of doctors and patients to share information with each other.

• Allows the creation of a Well documented Communication Record

• Improves Patient adherence• Online record –Email gives faster access to

patient information • Increases Patient Satisfaction

Information Best shared via emails

• Appointment and Medication Reminders• Detailed Guidelines on Prescription/

Medication • Patient Education Links, Flyers and related

information on Procedures and Treatments• Guidebooks and links on side effects• Forms, Bills and Administrative Documents• Preventive Care Methods, Diet Charts,

Exercise Routines, etc.

Potential Benefits for Patients

How Patients Benefit?

• Patients can use a regularly used communication mechanism for health.

• Use of a popular medium improves self care , monitoring and medication adherence

• Linkage with EMRs and PHR’s ensure easy availability of more comprehensive Health Data

• Saves time spent on visits for report collections and simpler queries.

• Improved patient satisfaction builds loyalty and eventually improves health

• Enables physically disabled patients at remote location to have detailed discussion.

Useful Reads• http://

www.massmed.org/Content/NavigationMenu2/ContinuingEducationEvents/NewCourses/EmailingPatientsWithoutWorryingAboutLiability/Doctorpatientemailinpractice/DoctorPatientEmail.htm

• http://www.scoop.it/t/healthcare-technology?q=email

• http://security.stackexchange.com/questions/14383/is-encrypted-email-doctor-patient-communication-required-by-hipaa-hitech-or-mea

• http://library.ahima.org/xpedio/groups/public/documents/ahima/bok1_021588.hcsp?dDocName=bok1_021588

• http://www.tmlt.org/newscenter/features/patient_email.html

• http://library.ahima.org/xpedio/groups/public/documents/ahima/bok2_000472.hcsp?dDocName=bok2_000472

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