Each sound of an incoming message can mean another request for help. Every phone call raises the question: “Is there anything else I can do?”. For many doctors in Poland, such situations are everyday, not an exception. Report “Patient on the phone” sheds light on this disturbing reality. In this article, you will find out what difficulties doctors face on a daily basis after the doors of the office are closed, what solutions are already available and what hopes the future holds.

The main conclusions of the study “Patient on the phone”¹

• 76% of doctors maintains contact with patients in Poland outside the office.
• More than 50% of doctors uses private phoneto respond to patients' text messages.
• 43% of doctors Receives messages from patients on private email address, whereas 33% It uses channels such as WhatsApp and Messenger.
• Only 14% of doctors Regularly uses professional medical communicator.
• 80% of specialists does not receive remuneration for the time spent on consultations outside the office.

What are the effects of the current situation?

• Blurring the line between the private and professional lives of doctors.
• Limiting time for rest and recovery, increasing the risk of burnout.²
• Difficulties in maintaining continuity of treatment and feelings of guilt in doctors due to incomplete patient documentation.
• The problematic status of medical data transmitted through private communication channels that do not go to official documentation.¹

Threats to the privacy and security of medical data

The virtual, undeclared position of doctors creates a problem of a legal nature. It concerns the sensitivity of patient data. Privacy in medicine is key. Illness carries not only physical suffering, but also the risk of stigmatization, discrimination or exploitation³. Information about the need for medical care may attract people who want to take advantage of such a situation. Popular communication tools like WhatsApp, Messenger whether email They do not provide adequate protection of privacy. Data can be used to create patient advertising profiles¹. Moreover, their use can lead to a violation of medical secrecy¹.

Is widespread telemedicine exacerbating the problem?

Available telemedicine tools are characterized by prioritization of needs Patients, not doctors. As a result, the available platforms can contribute to deepening the phenomenon of “Invisible Time” after hours. Current research shows that as the number of messages asking the patient for medical advice increases, the intensity and amount of work in the perception of doctors of different specialties also increases, instead of improving the practice of the profession⁴. Telemedicine in its current form proves to be inefficient and increases the workload of the doctor.

Telemedicine 2.0 is coming

Although the problem is complex, is not unsolvable. Paradoxically, the answer to these challenges is A new era of telemedicine solutions. It is possible to transform and modernize existing digital tools, in order to create a system that Improve the work of doctors. An example is Therapy Companion Apps, which are gaining popularity in the market and already present promising statistical data confirming their effectiveness.

Treatment with statins is a recognized method of therapy for people at high risk Cardiovascular diseases. However, one of the main challenges remains low adherence in treatment associated with the occurring symptoms, reminiscent of intolerance⁵. In response to these complaints, the application “Statinterface” allows patients daily monitoring of symptoms during therapy⁵. At the same time, with a view to the well-being of the doctor, the app provides him control over structured patient data and notifications. In contrast to traditional telemedicine, studies indicate that health professionals Recognize the potential of the application in improving communication with patients and more effective treatment of diseases based on reported symptoms.

At Doctor.One, how do we design taking into account the challenges of doctors?

The doctor is a pilot, not a passenger

In the app, it The doctor has the power to decide. about which patients require more comprehensive care through the app and what form of contact (chat or phone call) is most appropriate for a given problem. Thanks to this, the specialist has full control over the number of patients in the application.

The doctor does not have to be constantly on the phone

In the app Doctor.one functions asynchronous communication. The patient writes a message, and the doctor answers only in the time window designated by him. His phone number is not available to the patient, so he cannot call at any time or book an appointment. In addition, the doctor sets a time frame for the tour. According to current statistics, it does not take longer than 30 minutes a day. This makes it possible to create a relationship with the patient based on Confidence, empathy and Professionalism.

The doctor receives a fair salary for care

The subscription model allows the doctor to receive Fair pay for the time devoted to the patient. The independence of the doctor's remuneration from the consultations carried out (as in traditional telemedicine) rewards the doctor for the value that is the care of the patient (in the spirit of value-oriented medicine, which we wrote about in this article).

Physician and patient safety first

Medical messengers are designed with the security and privacy both the doctor and the patient. The software is used to provide medical services, so there is no possibility or concern that the sensitive content provided by the patient will be used for marketing purposes. Moreover issuing prescriptions and referrals is regulated by law and the doctor has the opportunity to do so as part of the consultation through the application.

Involving the doctor in the design of the solution

All the features that exist in the application Doctor.One are preceded by studies of needs and usability. Co-creating a solution with doctors allows it to be adapted to the current challenges and goals of doctors. In this way, another solution is not created that adds work and burdens the doctor in favor of the patient.

1. COBIK NIL & Doctor.one. (2024). Pacjent w telefonie - niewidzialny etat lekarza. In Raport Ogólnopolskiego Badania Lekarzy O Kontakcie Z Pacjentami Poza Gabinetem.
2. Mandal, S., Wiesenfeld, B.M., Mann, D.M. et al. Quantifying the impact of telemedicine and patient medical advice request mes sages on physicians' work-outside-work. npj Digit. Med. 7, 35 (2024).
3. Véliz C. (2020). Not the doctor's business: Privacy, personal responsibility and data rights in medical settings. Bioethics, 34(7), 712–718.
4. Mandal, S., Wiesenfeld, B.M., Mann, D.M. et al. Quantifying the impact of telemedicine and patient medical advice request messages on physicians' work-outside-work. npj Digit. Med. 7, 35 (2024).
5. Cao, W., Li, L., Mathur, P., Thompson, J., & Milks, M. W. (2023). A mobile health application for patients eligible for statin therapy: app development and qualitative feedback on design and usability. BMC medical informatics and decision making, 23(1), 128.