Practice Management Alert

Question: Our physician wants the office to begin using e-mail to contact our patients. Can you offer any advice on how to e-mail patients without getting the office into compliance trouble?


South Dakota Subscriber
 

Answer: When trying to reach their patients, many medical offices swear by e-mail as a valuable communication tool. They report that it increases efficiency, improves documentation and enhances relationships with patients.

How? E-mail takes place in real time and is stored electronically, thus  allowing physicians and billers to answer messages when it is convenient for them. It also automatically documents any communication with patients--and at times, physicians will forget to document contact with patients.

However, there are also some risks to e-mailing patients. To make sure you do not violate the patient's privacy, get verbal or written informed consent to e-mail from the patient and document it in his record.

Also, make sure you do not e-mail patients about difficult or complex issues, such as an itemization of a bill or the results of an HIV test. With these types of issues, call the patient and discuss it over the phone. If the issue is especially serious or complicated, you may want the patient to come into the office.
 
The answers to the Reader Questions were provided and/or reviewed by Catherine Brink, CMM, CPC, president of HealthCare Resource Management Inc. in Spring Lake, N.J.