The number of physicians adopting e-mail has been distressingly low.
That’s a stark fact, especially when you consider that other industries have moved on from e-mail, using more instant forms of communication, like Twitter and other social networking tools.
There are a number of reasons, which have been discussed here in the past. They range from a lack of financial incentives for doctors to e-mail their patients to the bureaucracy that HIPAA places on electronic communication with patients.
But what if patients were allowed to freely e-mail their medical provider?
Well, sometimes you’d get long e-mails, says Bryan Vartabedian. There are some, when given the opportunity, who will write missives to their doctor, and sometimes, “too much information can cloud good communication.”
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When talking face to face with patients, the conversation can be redirected. There’s no such influence in e-mail.
And consider the malpractice ramifications. As Dr. Vartabedian says, “every one of those 2,000 words is subject to legal discovery.”
Focusing electronic communication is a good idea. Patients will receive better-directed care, and office staff won’t be burdened with picking out the details within the e-mail that actually matter.
