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Smartphones and Texting with Patients

Text messaging or SMS (short message service) has become the virtual default method of direct communication in today’s society. As regular mail and even personal emails are increasingly as difficult to find as needles in virtual haystacks, and there is less and less time for telephone calls, individuals who want timely responses are using text messages to communicate- and this expectation is present in healthcare as well. Consider the following statistics: 95% of text messages are read within 3 minutes of being sent. (Forbes) 98% of text messages are read. (Physician Practice News) 91% of US adults 65+ own a...

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Hospitalist Communication: Risks and Strategies

 “Ineffective care transition processes lead to:   Adverse outcomes for patients, including medication errors, clinical progression of illness, lack of post-discharge follow up and avoidable emergency department visits;  Decreased patient and staff satisfaction; Inappropriate use of resources; and, Financial penalties through reduction in reimbursement from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and other insurers.” The Society of Hospital Medicine (SHM)  Case Study   A 43-year-old married father of three was taken via ambulance to the ED with sudden onset of mid-sternal chest pain as well as numbness and pain radiating to his left arm. History obtained by paramedics included shortness of breath,...

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