[Diabetes India]

More than half of Americans looked up health information on the internet in 2009, U.S. government researchers reported, but only 5% used email to communicate with their doctors, the survey by the National Center for Health Statistics found.

Many physicians provide patient care through their online websites. Diabetes is not an exception as well. But is this route of personal care acceptable by patient population? Patients always face one or the other type of problem to get desired date of physician's appointment. With the concept of online medical care, flexibility of time, ease of access and better communication can be a possibility.

It is today's need to get connected with physicians online and get personal care.

Regards

[parrotletzoo]

I don't do it often, but I have emailed my doctor before and would not hesitate to do so again if I felt 1. it wasn't somthing that needed to be addressed in the office and 2. could be answered sufficiently through email.

[Evermont]

Is this an advertisement? Like spam - with a poll?

Spamkabob?

[Diabetes India]

Hi Evermont

No misunderstanding. This is not a spam. Recent data of use of internet to look up health information by patient population raised this question - If patient population can use internet as a source for health information, is physician's online approach of patient care acceptable by patients?

Let us know your opinion about it too.

Thanks & Regards

[Evermont]

Originally Posted by Diabetes India

...This is not a spam...

Reason: Please do not advertise in your posts

Ahh, I see - It's a spamkabob that doesn't like to be called spam.

So clear now.

Let's make a deal - tell me how you treat your diabetes and I'll consider answering your question.

[Diabetes India]

1. I am not a diabetic but treats diabetics.
2. I wanted to ask a simple question which is posted in poll to understand the view of diabetic population. (Hope this is not considered spam)
2. I thought reference for the question is a essential part, so I have a reference at the end of the post so as to consider this question as real rather than spam
3. If this post violate the terms and conditions of the forum, I apologize and would rather have this post deleted by the moderator.

Thanks.

[Harold]

Never experienced it. There have been a couple of times I thought it would be handy. I would use it. It may make more sense to have the doctor's nurse wade through e-mail questions. Still it would increase the work load, and may not provide any better care. Most likely it would be abused and make it impracticable unless it is only offered to those that need a doctors oversight on a monthly or weekly basis.

[sarahspins]

I do (and not just for my endo), and I prefer it to playing phone tag.. plus it's nice to be able to compose an email at any time, and think it through rather than feeling on the spot about having to remember everything

I think it's probably easier/faster for the doctor as well... less time wasted on trying to get ahold of a patient.

[foxl]

Hi, Diabetes India!

Yes I support online care -- just so it is individualized and not the usual canned, high-carby, glad-handing messages! I would think physicians would find it much more efficient to respond to e-messages, than to get a stack of phone messages, much of the time.

I also can see where there might need to be a cutoff of say, 3 back-and-forths, then a phone call or walk-in, however!

[Seabear70]

I don't support it because I do not think that people are the best judge of their symptoms.

I don't care if they have a medical degree, they are just too close to the problem.

Want an example?

I knew a guy that was an honest 100 pounds overweight. This was after losing 100 pounds. He was drinking constantly, and had to pee 5 times a night. He did minimal exersize, but scarfed jelly beans like they were mana from heaven. And he had an infection that would not heal.

Oh, and his entire family had diabetes, so he was well aware that the symptoms he had were for diabetes. But he never made the connection until he started falling down all the time and the Dr. wanted to do a blood sugar check.

Another example. This one from a medical professional. A nurse I know was working on a degree in psycology. When she got to the part where they were talking about ADD, everyone arround her, including her, suddenly had the symptoms of ADD. The same with with victim menalities, and everything else she studdied.

And she knew better.

****, what got me into the Dr. about my Diabetes was I had had blood shooting out of one of my nipples for several weeks. And I had the diabetic symptoms, It runs in my family, and I knew it.

[Evermont]

Originally Posted by Diabetes India

1. I am not a diabetic but treats diabetics.
2. I wanted to ask a simple question which is posted in poll to understand the view of diabetic population. (Hope this is not considered spam)
2. I thought reference for the question is a essential part, so I have a reference at the end of the post so as to consider this question as real rather than spam
3. If this post violate the terms and conditions of the forum, I apologize and would rather have this post deleted by the moderator.

Thanks.

You are so polite. I should take a lesson!

To your first #2: A question is (usually) not spam. No, that's the "poll" or 'kabob' part of the spamkabob. Spam is great stuff right? You can do so much with it! To your second #2: Um, the link to your web site - kinda spammy. That's why it got removed. Classic spamminess too, no introduction, no "Hi here's my story..." just right down to business.

You say you treat diabetics. This makes me think you could be a doctor. The contact information on your fancy web site (link removed) refers to "MDHelpline", but then all the legal disclaimer stuff says "not a doctor". So are you a doctor? If so, why not say so? If not, then what? What do you mean by "treat diabetics"? Tasty snacks? Do you make money doing this? Your web site says you "own" all the questions that sick people post there - why? What purpose does your ownership have? Will you sell these?

I love India and I love diabetes. Like you I'm out to skewer the spam. OK, well I offered you a deal - but it assumed you were diabetic which you are not. I'll keep my end of the deal anyway - but not because I think you're not a spammer, not even because you are so very polite (thank you). I'll respond to your question because non-spammers who read this may benefit.

I have my doctor's email address. I use it and don't abuse it. I find it helpful to send her volumes of information like BG data and food logs a few days prior to meeting with her so she has an opportunity to look it over at her convenience. Doctors are so busy, office visits are in-and-out oriented. No time for study in such a setting. Also I've sent her links to things she didn't know about - like the Euglycemic clamp that I read about.

My wife has some significant health issues. All the doctors and specialists were stumped for more than three years running all sorts of tests - then her sister (not a doctor) found clues and basically lead us to Dx a very rare disease by using the web. If not for this she likely would have suffered severely for a couple more years then died horribly. Doctors hate it when patients get all webified but hey, we like to keep breathing. Her treatment at a renowned specialty center was accompanied by a comprehensive web based patient/doctor/lab/hospital system. It's great. She can post questions for specific specialists, check lab results as soon as they are available, check billing info (woohoo!), get Rx adjustments - all of it. It's a good thing. The doctors, hospitals and patients all save time and hassle. Privacy is protected, spouses or parents can be engaged. There's no reason we couldn't have been doing this 20 years ago. I hope it catches on.

[HOH Gal]

I helped select and implement an online visit system at Johns Hopkins Medical Center. It is still picking up momentum, but it is very helpful for a staff of limited physicians with specialities.

Only current patients can use the system so it is not used for diagnosis. It's primary focus is the help the patient know if a visit is needed and the physician to see what is happening to override if the questions do not seem consistent. The online visit takes patients through the questions a nurse might ask when you call in, but the beauty of it is how it helps manage time for both patient and dr. The Dr. can review during no shows or between patients.

These systems are not for emergencies, but for times when a phone call normally occurs. It prevents having to wait for the Dr. to return your call or play the very present "phone tag" with voicemail.

I'm all for these systems. I think certain people need them and it improves their care. I am deaf from an autoimmune disease. I hate the phone and using TTY so these system, in addition to HIPPA approved emailing, are a god-send to me.

Stacey LaBahn, MIM
Information Management

[DeusXM]

Using online resources to book/manage appointments or provide data to a doctor prior to an appointment is fine but that's about it. Getting answers is something completely different. Emailing a doc about little problems and expecting a decent response is ridiculous. A doctor treats illnesses that manifest themselves through physical symptoms and so expecting them to be able to do their job without being able to physically meet with you is unreasonable.

[Diabetes India]

Originally Posted by DeusXM

A doctor treats illnesses that manifest themselves through physical symptoms and so expecting them to be able to do their job without being able to physically meet with you is unreasonable.

Agree with the above quote. Asking a physician about an opinion of a foot ulcer in diabetes is unreasonable. Physician has to examine the patient in person to categorize the stage of the ulcer and treat accordingly.

Quote from Ms.Linda: "there might need to be a cutoff of say, 3 back-and-forths, then a phone call or walk-in, however" also sounds very reasonable.

If more than half of Americans search health information via internet, why not then get connected with their own doctors online.

To Mr.Evermont- If I elaborate my answers to your questions then it will look like I am advertising about myself. Since you know about my website, I think you have not gone through "About Us" page on it which mention about my name, place and institution. Any health information on the net must be trustworthy and has to go through the strict filters before. I have already been certified by the same professional organisation (HONcode) who has certified wellknown diabetes websites like "American Diabetes Association, Center for Disease Control, dlife, NDDIC etc."

Thanks.

[Evermont]

Originally Posted by Diabetes India

...To Mr.Evermont- If I elaborate my answers to your questions then it will look like I am advertising about myself. Since you know about my website, I think you have not gone through "About Us" page on it which mention about my name, place and institution. Any health information on the net must be trustworthy and has to go through the strict filters before. I have already been certified by the same professional organisation (HONcode) who has certified wellknown diabetes websites like "American Diabetes Association, Center for Disease Control, dlife, NDDIC etc."

Thanks.

Sir, I'm not sure if your concerns are well founded - but I would welcome a response via PM. Your "About Us" page is not linked from your main page - but I found it in the Site map, thank you.

I understand about trustworthiness. You may have detected a hint of skepticism from me. I looked into HONcode and found some stuff about Abuse of HONcode and Quackwatch. I searched HONcode and found a different but similar domain listed (.com) but no listing for your .org. Your name and the name of your web site return no search results on Quackwatch.

I checked WHOIS and found that your domain registration is private (anonymized) and read some concerns about you registrar but it appears inconclusive. I also noted that your web site is very new. Sometimes new is good. Sometimes.

Maybe you're legit. If so I would like to welcome you. It may be helpful to let us know who we're talking to and why.

Regards