DOCBOOK MD: New Smartphone App Helps Marin Physicians

Jill Bustamante

Members of the Marin Medical Society now have access to a member benefit that can help them communicate more efficiently and save time and money in the process. That benefit is DocBookMD, a doctors-only smartphone app that allows physicians to:

Send HIPAA-compliant text messages and photos. Message content can include diagnosis, test results or medical history. Physicians can also add a high-resolution image of an EKG, x-ray, lab report or anything that can be photographed with a smartphone.

Assign an urgency setting to outgoing text messages. Physicians can assign each message a 5-minute, 15-minute or normal response time. If the receiver does not answer the message within 5 minutes or if the message does not get to the receiver, the sender receives a message back stating that the original message did not make it.

Enable enhanced notifications. The physician can enter a cell phone number to receive text messages or an email address to receive notifications that DocBookMD messages are waiting. The email feature sends a weekly reminder to view DocBookMD messages.

Search local county medical society directories. Physicians can look up colleagues in Marin and other North Bay counties by first or last name or by specialty. Physicians can then contact their colleagues by messaging, office phone, cell phone or email.

Search a local pharmacy directory. Physicians can search for a local pharmacy alphabetically or find a pharmacy by zip code. Users can also create a “favorites” list of physicians or pharmacies.

DocBookMD, which began in 2010, is offered through county and state medical societies to their members and is currently available in 23 states. As Texas nephrologist Dr. Ruben Velez notes, “It has made communication better and faster, particularly about patients in hospitals. I can also get a summary about discharged patients from the hospital.” In addition, Dr. Velez uses the app to find contact information for referring physicians.

One of the most popular features of the app is texting, as DocBookMD offers physicians one of the only ways to text patient information securely while meeting HIPAA requirements. “A photograph is worth a thousand words,” observes Texas plastic surgeon Dr. Rocco Piazza. “With DocBookMD, I can have the emergency department physicians send me all the information, with a photograph of a hand injury or a face laceration. I know right where it is, and I can tell them right away what we need to do or where we need to go, assess whether it’s something I need to see right now, or if it can wait until morning.”

Texting features are one reason why medical professional liability carriers sponsor the app and support its use among physicians. Carriers believe DocBookMD can improve communication and help physicians practice safe medicine.

In 2012, DocBookMD began regionalizing the app, allowing physicians to communicate across county lines. Regionalization breaks down the communication barriers between counties, allowing for real-time access to specialists. This is particularly important in rural areas where access to specialty care is limited.

DocBookMD is available for iPad, iPhone and Android devices and is offered at no charge to MMS members thanks to the generous sponsorship of the Medical Insurance Exchange of California (MIEC). To register or for more information, visit www.docbookmd.com.

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Ms. Bustamante is the partnership manager for DocBookMD.

Email: jill@docbookmd.com