The wait for a doctor to return a call, or the necessity of travel from one health care facility to another for a consultation can be frustrating and time consuming as well as detrimental to the patient in some cases. Thanks to today's technology, a solution to the problem of the long wait has been developed.
DocBookMD is an app which works off both iPhone and Droid platforms. Created by a husband and wife team of physicians, it allows doctors to communicate with one another quickly and easily in real time using a secure, HIPAA-compliant network. Test results, x-rays, EKGs, and pictures of injuries can be shared between attending, consulting, and primary care physicians in as little as thirty seconds. The doctor then gets an accurate picture of the patient's situation and treatment can be initiated more quickly. It also cuts down on miscommunication between health care personnel, one of the leading causes of complications for a patient.
All of the messages and images shared between network users are sent using high grade encryption. This information is stored on servers, not on the doctors' smartphones, protecting them in the event the phone is lost or stolen. Should loss or theft occur, the account is deactivated as an extra security measure.
While the app is free to download, a user must be part of a county medical society. They also have to sign an HIPAA business service agreement which outlines data protection and the responsibilities of all parties to keep the messages confidential. Currently, only physicians are allowed to share and see information through the network, but there are plans in the works for versions which will allow limited access to nurses and physicians' assistants.
In addition to speedy access to colleagues in the medical society's data base, a physician
has access to information about local hospitals and pharmacies. One case study involved a patient who fainted for no apparent reason at work. After the consulting cardiologist saw his EKG and determined that there was a need for a pacemaker, he was able to use the directory to find a telemetry bed at a nearby hospital. He made arrangements to have him transferred, performed the procedure the next morning, and the patient went on to make a full recovery.
Another doctor commented on another use for the medical society's data base. One day, a lady with memory issues was brought to his ER. She couldn't remember her primary care doctor's name. Luckily, as with other social networks, the physicians have pictures of themselves posted to their profiles. They sat down with his iPad and scrolled through the listings until she recognized him.
DocbookMD is currently in use in twenty-three states, including Michigan and Idaho, with plans to expand into more areas. The developers recently gave a presentation about the app and its uses at Michigan's state medical society.
Fran Jablway
and
Hulet Smith, OT
