Articles from Dr Fox related to technology in health.
DiCE (Digital Clinical Excellence) released a set of Best practice guidelines for the asynchronous prescribing of medicines online, and a kitemark for participants of the DiCE forum, at an event at the House of Lords (01 May 2024).
Read in full
Dr Fox introduced extra identity verification checks November 2017. All online clinics are required by the regulator, the Care Quality Commission, to have in place patient identity verification processes.
The majority of patients can be verified online instantly by referencing data on their credit profile. This is called a ‘soft’ check to validate identity only, and is not a check on a person’s credit-worthiness. The ID check will not affect their credit rating.
Patient’s must enter their correct full name and date of birth, and a delivery address that is registered with a payment card provider, bank or building society, finance provider, or electoral register, to pass an online credit check. Read in full
Your smartphone can help in an emergency even if you are unresponsive. Both iOS (iPhone) and Android have a standard feature in ‘Settings’ called Medical ID (iPhone) or Emergency information (Android) where information useful in an emergency is available to first responders and emergency room staff and is accessible from your locked phone screen.
Emergency workers are increasingly aware to check smartphones for this information:
The feature is similar to medical jewellery but can make a lot more information available. Be aware that the information you provide will also be available to anyone with your phone without unlocking it.
There are also a range of other free medical emergency apps available for smartphones such as Medical ID.
Realising you have a health issue that needs medical attention and treatment can cause anxiety. Not only are you uncomfortable, you now have to think about making time to visit your GP and describing your symptoms in order to receive treatment for your problem.
Although in many instances nothing can replace the necessity of a face-to-face visit – an online doctor cannot inspect an injury or feel for soreness, for example – when it comes to determining your health history, responding to a description of symptoms, and prescribing medicine for common conditions, a virtual consultation can be just as effective. From eliminating the need to describe symptoms in person to access to a large amount of information about your condition, there are many benefits of online doctors and prescription services. Read in full
Which websites do you tend to hang out on? Chances are you often find yourself jumping from one social media site to the next – a recent report states that Britons spend an average of about 1 hour and 20 minutes on social media networks per day, which accounts for a significant percentage of the time we spend online as a whole.
Whether on your laptop, desktop, tablet or mobile phone, as you scroll through your feed you often see health-related posts. People post updates on their weight loss journey, their battle with an illness, or even ask their friends and followers questions about a health condition.
But the normal venues may not be the most relevant outlets for health-related conditions. You may want to migrate over to a health-focused social network to get specific answers to your questions and support from others experiencing the same health issues. Read in full
Over the past decade and beyond, technology has increasingly become part of our lives, gaining functions as its form factor has shrunk in size. Until recently, however, the focus has been on helping us get a clearer view of the world “out there”. Constantly evolving technology has allowed individuals to research, learn, stay-up-to-date and communicate in new and ever-deeper ways – but will the next frontier be within ourselves? Technology is poised to start looking in, rather than helping us to look out. The latest tech trends help us to monitor ourselves. Read in full
