The future of doctor-patient interaction, via e-mail:

TopGuy.com: As I relax this Sunday evening at my weekend getaway, I’d like to invite you to do likewise. I’ve had enough of our eight-minute office visits, and I’m sure you have, too. So I’ve decided to join the 10 to 20 percent of American physicians using e-mail to restore personal connection with patients.

Terminal Patient: How the hell did you get my e-mail address?

TopGuy.com: You filled out some forms in the office. As I was saying, I’m excited about using the technology you or your caregivers are familiar with to help both of us. According to a recent medical journal, e-mail can communicate lab and diagnostic results, issue treatment reminders, and even handle common acute problems. Instead of seeing 30 patients a day, if I handle 15 of them by e-mail in 45 minutes, I could save the rest of my day.