News Feature | July 15, 2014

5 Ways To Be An Engaged Physician

Katie Wike

By Katie Wike, contributing writer

Be An Engaged Physician

Patient engagement is always on the minds of physicians concerned with meeting MU requirements, but how can they better meet this goal?

It’s easy to believe physicians could use a few tips on staying engaged with patients, a point hammered home by a Northwestern University study which found doctors spend one-third of appointment times looking at EHRs on a computer or tablet screen. When physicians use paper records, they spend only 11 percent of the appointment time reviewing them.

Now, an infographic from mHealth News - Rx For Doctor Disconnect - outlines and suggests ways for doctors to stay connected with patients and co-workers in this current digital age.  mHealth News prescribes a combination of communication suggestions and technology restrictions to get doctors more involved in the office, including:

  1. Upgrade the pager - Poor communication is the number one cause of delays in treatment. In 1994, more than 61 million pagers were in use; in 2014 there are still at least five million in use. Physicians can do themselves and their staff a favor by upgrading to a secure mobile device for communication.
  2. Rethink referrals - According to the infographic, at least half of referrals involve no communication between physicians. An astounding 20 percent of malpractice claims involve communication deficits.
  3. Mobile is insecure - Physicians need to remember that while 88 percent of them use smartphones, they are still and insecure form of communication. Sixty percent of physicians send work related text messages.
  4. Avoid Sending PHI - Thirty percent of physicians say they have received protected health information (PHI) in a text message. Just keep in mind the next time you send PHI via mobile that a HIPAA violation can carry a $1.5 million fine.
  5. Plan for the future - Fifty-nine percent of providers say they have a mobile plan and 29 percent are developing a mobile plan. Eleven percent of providers in a pediatric texting study said their organization offers a secure texting solution.