Physician use of e-mail: the telephone of the 21st century?
E-mail, as an element of a physician's clinical practice, can provide the means to accomplish a variety of tasks more effectively and more efficiently, increasing patients' involvement in their care and optimizing face-to-face office time. Concerns about billing, improper use, privacy, and confidentiality have complicated its introduction and acceptance. This article discusses guidelines proposed for clinical use of e-mail and barriers that will need to be overcome to move this mode of patient-physician communication into the mainstream.
Meyer
Mark
M
University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria, One Illini Drive, Peoria, IL 61605, USA. mark@schmalchemy.com
D003142:Communication; D003219:Confidentiality; D034742:Electronic Mail / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D020408:Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act; D006801:Humans; D007258:Informed Consent; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D014481:United States