I use Yahoo Messenger. Granted, it is not secure but I do not put in any last names or other important info. In each of my exam rooms, I have a different Yahoo Messenger identity..."GardenDoc, BeachDoc and CabinDoc". The staff, who each have their own Yahoo identity know who is in that room. I can messenger up front and say "Please find Susan's CT from FMH from Oct". The patient isn't even aware I have sent the message to staff. Within a few minutes, here comes the report under the door. Or, I can message back to billing..."Susan will be out in a minute and has a question about her encounter date 2/2/08". The billing staff can already have everything pulled up and waiting on her. I can also ask the staff to "rescue me please" if I get stuck in a room with a chatty patient. Within a minute or so there is a knock on the door telling me the ER is on the phone and needs to speak with me. Works great, especially because as soon as a message reaches someone, there is a highlighted bar on the toolbar letting them know a message is there and who is messaging them.

Leslie

Leslie
Hospital Employed Physician Who Misses The Old AC

"It's a good thing for a doctor to have prematurely grey hair and itching piles. It makes him appear to know more than he does and gives him an expression of concern which the patient interprets as being on his behalf. "