E-mailing doctors improves care
People with diabetes or hypertension, or both, who e-mail their physicians about the ups and downs of their test results and other aspects of their care appear far more likely to undergo screening tests and keep their blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood-sugar levels under control compared with those who don’t e-mail their doctors, according to a study of 35,423 patients published in the July 2010 issue of the journal Health Affairs.
The researchers, at Kaiser Permanente, could not control for some variables, such as education. Still, e-mailing was associated with more effective care, probably because it gave patients greater access to their doctors, who could adjust medications or recommend other treatments if needed.
Before messaging your doctor, ask whether he or she is willing to discuss your case by e-mail and has a secure e-mail system. To further protect your privacy, use your personal e-mail, not your employer’s system. E-mail succinct questions about tests, treatments, or referrals, but for emergencies call 911.
Read more on when it’s appropriate to e-mail your doctor. And we’d like to hear from you: Do you e-mail with your doctor? Has it been a positive experience or not?
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