There’s no doubt that e-mail will soon become the primary way to communicate with patients. Based on our experience at KP, this will ultimately be to the benefit of both doctors and patients. A June 2014 survey by Catalyst Healthcare Research showed that 93% of patients preferred to see a physician who offers e-mail communication with his or her patients. More than one-quarter of those respondents said they’d be willing to pay a $25 charge for such communication. It’s not surprising; as with all businesses, not just medicine, that patients want more channels of communication, not fewer. Fortunately for them, many of today’s medical residents are being trained to use electronic communication with patients. For instance, a 2013 study published in the Postgraduate Medical Journal found that 57% of residents used e-mail to communicate with patients.
My wife finished reading the Jackson Hole Daily newspaper and outlined our hike to Taggart Lake. And I finished answering my messages. The guy sitting next to me is still tapping away at his keyboard. I make eye contact and say, “Almost done?” “Yup,” he replies, “Better for me to just knock it out now, because I’ll just have to deal with it on Monday.” I agree.
Susan and I pack up and head for the trail, which is thankfully connection free. Let’s just hope we don’t run into any bears.
Dr. Benabio is a partner physician in the department of dermatology of the Southern California Permanente Group in San Diego, and volunteer clinical assistant professor at the University of California, San Diego. Dr. Benabio is @dermdoc on Twitter.