One of the advantages of the computer era is that patients and physicians can communicate via a portal system. A patient can submit an inquiry which I typically respond to promptly. It also offers me the opportunity to provide advice or test results to patients. Moreover, the system documents that the patient has in fact read my message. Beyond the medical value, it also provides some legal protection if it is later alleged that ‘my doctor never sent me my results’. I have always endorsed the concept that patients must accept personal responsibility. Consider this hypothetical example. A patient undergoes a screening colonoscopy and a polyp is removed. The patient is told to expect a portal message detailing the results in the coming days. Once the analysis of the polyp has been completed, the doctor sends a message via the portal communicating that the polyp is benign, but is regarded as ‘precancerous'. The patient is advised to have a colonoscopy repeated in 3 ye
Gastroenterologists are equipped to assist folks with fecal incontinence (FI) – an awful symptom for reasons that need not be explained. While many of these individuals experience leakage only occasionally, the fear of an impending episode is ever present. They leave home wondering if this will be a day when they will experience a lapse in control. Many remain at home or curtail social activities because of fear and anxiety. So, while the condition is not life threatening, it is an assault on an individual’s quality of life. It’s more common in women and the elderly and is associated with a host of medical conditions. Fecal incontinence is extremely common in extended care facilities which can result in medical consequences. This post is not to discuss the diagnosis and treatment of this condition. Indeed, this blog is a medical commentary site, not an ‘ask a doctor’ site. Here’s the point of this post. More often than not, individuals suffering from fecal incontinence