Webley MD

Despite the fact that the majority of people in the U.S. regularly correspond by email, only 25% of doctors use email for corresponding with patients. Fear may be one reason that so few practices are willing to open up communications via email. It's the fear of becoming chained to their laptop with emails buzzing in and out all day, leaving less time for face-to-face patient interaction. It's the fear of the Internet "slippery slope." To the inexperienced eye, it may seem that the Internet is like a slippery slope; once your practice acquiesces to email communications, next thing you know you'll be hiring someone to update your Twitter account every half hour.  Doctors are also concerned about incurring liability by offering advice via e-mail.  And at the end of the day, time spent on e-mail communications is typically uncompensated.  

It is important to know that the Internet “slippery slope” is just a myth. As is true with the other aspects of your business, you are the one in control.

With that, it is equally important to understand that patients are getting desperate for their doctors to be available via email; 33% of patients are willing to change doctors just to acquire that convenience. Fifty percent of parents expressed the desire to communicate via e-mail with their child's physician in a recent 2010 nationwide survey conducted by Knowledge Networks.

Now you've pitted two separate fears against each other: the fear of email versus the fear of losing patients. Take heart! There's an easy way out. You don't have to be afraid of the Internet anymore. You can start as small as you like.

Start by switching your telephone appointment reminders to emailed reminders (for those who want it, of course). This is one way to easily control your email influx. With an appointment reminder that says “please do not reply to this message,” there will be no return email to deal with and you won't have to worry about answering any emails or liability issues.  Any questions or conflicts will be returned via telephone. That seems easy enough, right?

Using email reminders is one way to satisfy your patient's cravings for online interaction with their doctor. This small step will help retain patient. It will also open up your practice to new patients looking for emailed appointment reminders. For more information about automated appointment reminders, please visit Webley online.