Patients have nothing against their doctor using tech

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It is thought that doctors don’t want to overwhelm their patients with technology, and would rather focus their attention to the actual relationship with the person sitting on the opposite side of the table.

That is no longer the case, according to the research conducted by the voice recognition tech firm Nuance. They surveyed 3,000 patients across the U.S., the UK and Germany only to find out that patients have nothing against their doctor using technology as long as it doesn’t stand on the way of the exam. In fact, an impressive 97% of surveyed respondents approved of the use of technology, including desktop computers and mobile devices, during a consultation.

What’s more, almost 6 out of 10 patients think technology in the exam room makes for a richer experience, especially if it’s used “collaboratively to educate or explain.”

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However, mobile devices are not the preferred method of “educating” and “explaining.” Instead, patients prefer good ol’ desktop computers which are said to deliver a more heads-up experience, and because they allow the patient to look over the physician’s shoulder to take a peek at things like X-rays. Perhaps tablets, which are not mentioned in Nuance’s blog post, can play a role here, as they could be easily handed out to the patient when needed. What do you think?

[Via: VentureBeat]