[telemedicine] Scottish Medical Practice Institutes Text Messaging for Patients

[Medical Informatics News]

As part of a new project, a Scottish medical practice is allowing patients to make
appointments, order prescriptions and receive medical advice by text. According to the BBC News, the West
Gate Health Centre in Dundee is now allowing patients to contact it by using their mobile phones. While text
messaging, or e-mail, will never replace face-to-face encounters for important issues such as diagnosing a medical
condition, it is expected to save time in dealing with more simple and routine matters. “Texting, e-mail, any kind of
wacky technology is never going to replace the face-to-face doctor and patient meeting to resolve a problem,” said
Dr. Ron Neville of West Gate. However, he conceded that , “It pushes back some boundaries and makes the NHS (National
Health Service) more accessible.”


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