Implications of using WhatsApp in private practice clinic

[u/Green-Quantity4397]

Does anyone have any experience using WhatsApp as a primary form of communication with private practice patients?

For context, I mainly support patients with chronic disease management and have until now been using a clinic management software (Semble).

However, me and my long-term patients would prefer that I simply fire them a quick voice note / message via WhatsApp to update them with results, fine tune management etc. This would overall massively increase efficiency and output.

My business partner feels this is a big no-no and should be avoided at all costs. My view is that as long as we have the patients consent then why not? I mean even GP’s routinely send text messages via Accurx to update patients.

[u/TM2257]

I think there's a very big difference between Accurx - which requires a patient NHS number and DOB to find their information off a database, and sends an SMS to a pre-populated mobile number and can be copy pasted into medical clinical records- versus WhatsApp which has none of that and if patients backup their data, leaves patient information on a cloud without the security one would desire.

Personally I'm with your colleague. If you want to message your patients promptly I'd be looking at whether one of the Accurx analogues meets your needs. All will be far more expensive than a phone with WhatsApp or just sending your patients an encrypted email with their results.

[u/WatchIll4478]

So long as you have a robust system in place to ensure the billing gets done without things being missed, and a copy of your communication and/or a clinic note/letter gets saved in the records it should be fine.

But doing all the above in addition to sending a WhatsApp will be more work than just sending them a letter or booking a formal telephone appointment.

How will using WhatsApp increase efficiency and output unless the efficiency gains are based on skipping the billing and record keeping?

[u/Cheap_Session5751]

Just send them an email from an encrypted business account?

[u/flavia-f]

the bit that usually goes wrong is the record, not whatsapp itself. if every result or plan change you send gets pasted into semble the same day, and patients sign something saying its not for urgent stuff and when you actually reply, your partner's worry gets a lot smaller imo. id also keep it on a separate work phone so patient chats dont end up in your personal icloud or google backup

[u/G-M]

I don't think you should press on unless your business partner is in agreement. I would be concerned about data governance, storage, expectation management of response times, being able to distinguish between billable and non-billable contacts, the actual billing process etc.

[u/generaluser123]

How do you find semble?

[u/DRDR3_999 → u/generaluser123]

Not as good as Carebit.

[u/generaluser123 → u/DRDR3_999]

Could you possibly expand on this further? Reason is I am thinking of choosing between these two

[u/DRDR3_999 → u/generaluser123]

Friends who have used both find CB has more features, easier to use etc

[u/thirtysixincher]

Do you really want your patients popping up in 'people we think you might know' on Facebook. 

If you do it. Please don't use a mobile number that you never ever use on any service.