Texting Project Looking at Improving Patient – Healthcare Professional Communication
A new pilot project in northwestern B.C. will allow patients to contact their health team via text message.
Project lead Dr. Tracey Morton says the project — run out of a health-care clinic in Queen Charlotte on Haida Gwaii — is a little more involved than the pre-existing provincial nurses information hotline which offers more general advice.
“Here, people can discuss [specific] information with their care-provider team and it’s linked to their chart. So we know — pretty much — their full medical history,” he explained.
The project will enroll any interested patient in the service, Morton says, although he says those with chronic medical conditions like diabetes or high blood pressure might find it most useful.
On the clinic end, nurse practitioners and physicians will attempt to respond to queries within the day and add patient reports to medical charts.
“We imagine applications, such as a diabetic sharing their blood sugar level or those with chronic conditions sharing specific information about how they’re doing and how they’re feeling if they’re starting a new treatment,” Morton said.
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