More GPs communicating with patients via text message

GPs are increasingly using text messages to communicate with their patients — but clear guidelines are needed to protect patient confidentiality, a new Irish study has found. The research, carried out by a group of GPs in Cork led by Dr Dorothy Leahy, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, UCC, was published recently in the British Journal of General Practice. According to the researchers, text messaging has become more prevalent in general practice as a tool to communicate with patients. Therefore, the researchers set out to assess the extent, growth, and perceived risks and benefits of text messaging by GPs…