A Pilot Study on MyDoc, Singapore's First Private, Secure, Mobile Telehealth Application and Messaging Platform
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Abstract
BACKGROUND
The application of telemedicine has been described for its use in medical training and education, management of stroke patients, urologic surgeries, paediatric laparoscopic surgeries, clinical outreach and the field of orthopaedics to name just a few. However, the usefulness of a secure, mobile telehealth application and messaging platform has not been well described.
OBJECTIVE
A pilot study to implement a Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)-compliant form of communication between doctors in an orthopaedic clinical setting and determine their reactions to MyDoc, a secure, mobile telehealth application and messaging plaform.
METHODS
By replacing current methods of communication through various mobile applications and text messaging services with MyDoc, we gained feedback and determined user satisfaction with this innovative system from questionnaires handed to the program director, program coordinator, one trauma consultant, all orthopaedic resdients at the National University Hospital in Singapore and six non-orthopaedic residents who experienced using MyDoc over a six-week period.
RESULTS
A total of 25 questionnaires were answered. Almost all who filled in the questionnaire strongly agreed that MyDoc should replace current systems of peer to peer communication in the hospital. The majority also felt that the quality of images, videos and sound were excellent. Almost all also strongly agreed that they could communicate with each other and would feel comfortable doing so through MyDoc on a daily basis. The majority felt that virtual consults through MyDoc should be made available to in-patients as well as out-patients to potentially lessen clinic loads and provide a secure manner in which patients can communicate with their primary teams at a time and manner convenient to both parties. The majority also strongly agreed that the potential of telerounding exists and may have advantages, especially on weekends as a supplement to normal rounds and including helping to adhere to the number of hours residents are allowed to be on-site.
CONCLUSIONS
Potential uses of MyDoc in an orthopaedic clinical setting include HIPAA-compliant peer to peer communication, clinical outreach in the setting of trauma, supervision in theatre or watching theatre cases from outside of the hospital, providing both patient and parent reassurance in paediatric orthopaedic cases and finally in the setting of outpatient clinics. With our pilot study having excellent results in terms of acceptance and satisfaction from doctors, the integration of a secure, mobile telehealth application and messaging platform, not only in the orthopaedic department but the hospital in general, has exciting and limitless potential. More in this era where cutting down costs is beneficial to all, but more importantly in order to comply with Singapore's recently introduced Personal Data Protection Act.
The application of telemedicine has been described for its use in medical training and education, management of stroke patients, urologic surgeries, paediatric laparoscopic surgeries, clinical outreach and the field of orthopaedics to name just a few. However, the usefulness of a secure, mobile telehealth application and messaging platform has not been well described.
OBJECTIVE
A pilot study to implement a Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)-compliant form of communication between doctors in an orthopaedic clinical setting and determine their reactions to MyDoc, a secure, mobile telehealth application and messaging plaform.
METHODS
By replacing current methods of communication through various mobile applications and text messaging services with MyDoc, we gained feedback and determined user satisfaction with this innovative system from questionnaires handed to the program director, program coordinator, one trauma consultant, all orthopaedic resdients at the National University Hospital in Singapore and six non-orthopaedic residents who experienced using MyDoc over a six-week period.
RESULTS
A total of 25 questionnaires were answered. Almost all who filled in the questionnaire strongly agreed that MyDoc should replace current systems of peer to peer communication in the hospital. The majority also felt that the quality of images, videos and sound were excellent. Almost all also strongly agreed that they could communicate with each other and would feel comfortable doing so through MyDoc on a daily basis. The majority felt that virtual consults through MyDoc should be made available to in-patients as well as out-patients to potentially lessen clinic loads and provide a secure manner in which patients can communicate with their primary teams at a time and manner convenient to both parties. The majority also strongly agreed that the potential of telerounding exists and may have advantages, especially on weekends as a supplement to normal rounds and including helping to adhere to the number of hours residents are allowed to be on-site.
CONCLUSIONS
Potential uses of MyDoc in an orthopaedic clinical setting include HIPAA-compliant peer to peer communication, clinical outreach in the setting of trauma, supervision in theatre or watching theatre cases from outside of the hospital, providing both patient and parent reassurance in paediatric orthopaedic cases and finally in the setting of outpatient clinics. With our pilot study having excellent results in terms of acceptance and satisfaction from doctors, the integration of a secure, mobile telehealth application and messaging platform, not only in the orthopaedic department but the hospital in general, has exciting and limitless potential. More in this era where cutting down costs is beneficial to all, but more importantly in order to comply with Singapore's recently introduced Personal Data Protection Act.
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