Physicians speak with patients every day on the phone for a variety of reasons. Our practice now uses a portal system, giving patients access to some of their medical data and to us. Although I was resistant to having e-mail communications with patients, I have come to appreciate the advantages. It relieves our ever congested phone lines It relieves patients from a state of suspended animation as they hope and pray that a living breathing human being will return to the line after being placed on hold It saves our staff time who no longer have to triage calls as the patient directly reaches the doctor While this streamlined cyber communication system is useful, it does have limitations. It can’t solve every problem. Indeed, some issues are not appropriate for either a phone call or an e-mail. Calling his doctor? Consider the following scenarios. Which can be appropriately handled on the phone and which merit a face to face encounter with a physician? I was in the
MD Whistleblower presents vignettes and commentaries on the medical profession. We peek 'behind the medical curtain' and deliver candor and controversy in every post.