E-mail can be integrated into ophthalmic practice

Exercise caution when using email for urgent matters. * Inform patient about privacy issues. * Tell patients who besides the physician processes messages during his/her usual business hours and during his/her vacation or illness. * Whenever possible and appropriate, retain electronic or paper copies of email communications with patients. * Establish types of transactions (prescription refill, appointment scheduling, etc.) and sensitivity of subject matter (HIV, mental health, etc.) permitted over e-mail. * Request that patients put their name and patient identification number in the body of the message. * Maintain a mailing list of patients, but do not send group mailings where recipients are visible to each other. Use the blind copy feature in software. * Avoid anger, sarcasm, harsh criticism, and libelous references to third parties in messages. * Append a standard block of text to the end of e-mail messages to patients, which contains the physician's full name, contact information, and reminders about security and the importance of alternative forms of communication for emergencies. * When e-mail messages become too lengthy or the correspondence is prolonged, notify patients to come in to discuss or call them.