I used to get lots of gifts from patients during the holidays. 'Give your doctor a gift', the patients would say. Not so much anymore. I’m more patient-centered than ever. And the older I get the more relaxed I get with my patients. I’d like to think that I’m more likeable. But still fewer gifts than ten or fifteen years ago. So what gives? Times have changed. ... Continue Reading about Should You Give Your Doctor a Gift?
The 2000 Word Patient Email
We assume that technology will improve communication between doctors and patients. But not always. Look at the 2,000 word email. While it isn’t yet the standard means of communication in our clinic (it will be soon) we occasionally take email from patients. My experience has been that they’re sometimes long and unfocused with tangential information irrelevant to the ... Continue Reading about The 2000 Word Patient Email
Your Personal Health Footprint
Recently I suggested that the public disclosure of your detailed personal health information may not be smart. Jen McCabe was dubious and alleged a Fear Factor approach. You might check out both posts. The perspectives are interesting and raise the question of just how open we should be. In her Posterous comments Jen cites some great examples of how the social web ... Continue Reading about Your Personal Health Footprint
Doctor-Patient Dialog on Social Media: A Bad Idea?
Recently I wrote about how to handle things when patients try to engage doctors in the social media space. If you missed it you can read it here. If you want to save yourself 5 minutes consider the bottom line: Doctors and patients shouldn’t be discussing patient-specific issues in the social space. I heard from Ted Eytan regarding my post: The question is ... Continue Reading about Doctor-Patient Dialog on Social Media: A Bad Idea?
UpToDate – The Information Prescription
UpToDate, arguably the most trusted information brand in medicine, is now in the patient information game with UpToDate for Patients. I ran into deputy editor Alison Hoppin (a pediatric gastroenterologist) at the American Academy of Pediatrics last week and she gave me a test drive. My bags are barely unpacked and I’m already using it in my practice. I mean, what a ... Continue Reading about UpToDate – The Information Prescription
Self-Surfing Patients
When I finish a history and exam I always ask parents what they understand about their child’s problem. It’s a critical question. It helps me understand how they see their child. When answering the question, parents often introduce their comments with, "I know I shouldn’t be on the Internet but…" Translation: “I know as my doctor you’ve always been my sole source of ... Continue Reading about Self-Surfing Patients