OpEd piece on patient dr communication.

[Denzie]

Electronic health records (EHR) are supposed to make things more accurate for the dr and billing but it comes at a cost. That cost is dr-patient communication. This dr discusses the impact.

clinicaloncology.com/Curren...

[FtB_Peggy]

Denzie, I found this article very interesting. It is amazing how something has side effects no one anticipates. I agree, you lose much when you focus on a screen. You need to look at someone to see how they are doing: are they pale, do they look sad, do they have circles under their eyes, are they slouching in their chair, do they avoid eye contact, are they tense - as though in pain, etc, etc. So much is lost when we don't look at one another, especially when you are trying to evaluate someone's well being. I know some medical professionals who are coming up with some "tricks" to bypass some of this, but it is not easy. I hope the medical community continues to address the issue - thank you for bringing it into focus.

[scifiknitter Blogger]

Very interesting article, Denise. I notice some practices (such as my husband's orthopedic surgeon) having staff whose job is to input the data as the doctor meets with the patient, but I bet reimbursement rates often don't make that economically feasible.

[Denzie Moderator Volunteer in reply to scifiknitter]

I've seen it too. Some of my docs use someone to take notes but my Internist is a champion at asking the questions, taking notes then looking directly at me while asking the next question and looking at me while I answer before going back to the computer. I'm comfortable that she is not missing a thing.

[scifiknitter Blogger in reply to Denzie]

I'm convinced that one of the most important people on our teams can be an internist or family doctor/general practitioner. They may not know a lot about lung cancer, but they may see us more as whole people, putting our symptoms and general health into a helpful overall perspective.

[Patti72]

So true my doctor was more focused on scheduling tests than he was on the terror I was feeling after the words mass in your lung....."where have all the flowers gone?"