Comments on: Email in medical care: Starting to catch on? http://www.vantageclinicalsolutions.com/blog/2008/05/22/email-in-medical-care-starting-to-catch-on-in-medical-practice-health-care/ Tue, 08 Nov 2011 11:23:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Richard Schoor MD, FACS http://www.vantageclinicalsolutions.com/blog/2008/05/22/email-in-medical-care-starting-to-catch-on-in-medical-practice-health-care/comment-page-1/#comment-424 Richard Schoor MD, FACS Thu, 03 Jul 2008 15:02:42 +0000 http://www.vantageclinicalsolutions.com/blog/?p=112#comment-424 I like email and find it must less intrusive on my time than phone calls. Patients who wish to contact the doctor rather than make an appointment will do so whether it is by email or phone. I find that patients who like email are actually more respectful of my time. . .and their own. I don't lose money because I use email. I like email and find it must less intrusive on my time than phone calls. Patients who wish to contact the doctor rather than make an appointment will do so whether it is by email or phone. I find that patients who like email are actually more respectful of my time. . .and their own.
I don’t lose money because I use email.

]]> By: Tannus Quatre PT, MBA http://www.vantageclinicalsolutions.com/blog/2008/05/22/email-in-medical-care-starting-to-catch-on-in-medical-practice-health-care/comment-page-1/#comment-375 Tannus Quatre PT, MBA Mon, 16 Jun 2008 22:43:24 +0000 http://www.vantageclinicalsolutions.com/blog/?p=112#comment-375 Tim, You're hitting on one of the biggest barriers to the adoption of tele-medicine or "virtual healthcare" - the ability to provide examination and treatment at a level of quality that meets the standards of care present in the physical environment. I don't know exactly what the future holds, but for most "physical" interventions such as those provided by PT's, I don't think we're going to get away from face-to-face interaction as a primary means of providing care...nor do we want to. I do think however, that there is great potential in the area of electronic communication to improve the quality and efficiency of the heathcare experience, even for professionals such as PT's that provide mainly hands-on interventions. Using email, IM, etc. for follow up contact and real-time patient interaction is what patients are demanding, and it can actually make the provider's life easier by adding efficiency to patient communication. In regard to recommending an online video for follow-up education and patient reference - absolutely! There are products already on the market that offer significant benefits to both patients and providers by placing important information online where it can be customized by the provider and accessed by the patient. PerfectFit Health is a company that has done a great job of providing a clean online interface that does just this (<a href="http://www.perfectfithealth.com" rel="nofollow">www.perfectfithealth.com</a>). Tannus Quatre PT, MBA Tim,

You’re hitting on one of the biggest barriers to the adoption of tele-medicine or “virtual healthcare” – the ability to provide examination and treatment at a level of quality that meets the standards of care present in the physical environment.

I don’t know exactly what the future holds, but for most “physical” interventions such as those provided by PT’s, I don’t think we’re going to get away from face-to-face interaction as a primary means of providing care…nor do we want to. I do think however, that there is great potential in the area of electronic communication to improve the quality and efficiency of the heathcare experience, even for professionals such as PT’s that provide mainly hands-on interventions.

Using email, IM, etc. for follow up contact and real-time patient interaction is what patients are demanding, and it can actually make the provider’s life easier by adding efficiency to patient communication.

In regard to recommending an online video for follow-up education and patient reference – absolutely! There are products already on the market that offer significant benefits to both patients and providers by placing important information online where it can be customized by the provider and accessed by the patient. PerfectFit Health is a company that has done a great job of providing a clean online interface that does just this (http://www.perfectfithealth.com).

Tannus Quatre PT, MBA

]]> By: Tim Richardson http://www.vantageclinicalsolutions.com/blog/2008/05/22/email-in-medical-care-starting-to-catch-on-in-medical-practice-health-care/comment-page-1/#comment-371 Tim Richardson Mon, 16 Jun 2008 02:20:07 +0000 http://www.vantageclinicalsolutions.com/blog/?p=112#comment-371 Tannus, Some of what physical therapists do is visual - measuring ROM and posture, for example. Can these measurements be taken over tele-medicine lines and be accurate enough to base treatment decisions? For example, could I assess a swayback posture in a patient with lower back pain and recommend a video of my posture program, available on my website? More importantly, could I be paid for that recommendation? Tim Richardson, PT Tannus,

Some of what physical therapists do is visual – measuring ROM and posture, for example.

Can these measurements be taken over tele-medicine lines and be accurate enough to base treatment decisions?

For example, could I assess a swayback posture in a patient with lower back pain and recommend a video of my posture program, available on my website?

More importantly, could I be paid for that recommendation?

Tim Richardson, PT

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