Journal of Human Lactation

 

Advanced Search

Journal Navigation

Journal Home

Subscriptions

Archive

Contact Us

Table of Contents

http://www.medelabreastfeedingus.com/for-professionals

Sign In to gain access to subscriptions and/or personal tools.
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow References
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to Saved Citations
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Right arrow Request Reprints
Right arrow Add to My Marked Citations
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Thomas, J. R.
Right arrow Articles by Shaikh, U.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Thomas, J. R.
Right arrow Articles by Shaikh, U.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us   Add to Digg   Add to Reddit   Add to Technorati  
What's this?
Journal of Human Lactation, Vol. 23, No. 3, 275-279 (2007)
DOI: 10.1177/0890334407303903

Electronic Communication With Patients for Breastfeeding Support

Jennifer R. Thomas, MD, IBCLC

Departments of Community Family Medicine and Pediatrics, Medical College of Wisconsin, jenny{at}drjen4kids.com

Ulfat Shaikh, MD, MPH

University of California Davis School of Medicine, and medical director at Lactation Clinic, UC Davis Medical Center, Sacramento, California

The Internet has become an important tool for patients seeking to expand their knowledge of health conditions and medications. Breastfeeding initiation and duration increase because of physician encouragement. Therefore, electronic communication potentially provides additional opportunities for physicians to inform, reassure, encourage, and support breastfeeding families. An e-mail from a breastfeeding mother may deal with a topic well-suited to e-mail communication, such as information on the safety of specific medications during breastfeeding, or may deal with a concern that would make observation of breastfeeding necessary. Physicians have expressed qualms about electronic communication with patients due to privacy, malpractice liability, time, and reimbursement issues. Strategies to optimize e-mail communication include establishing a turnaround time for responses, informing patients of privacy issues, establishing what types of messages are appropriate over e-mail, and setting limits for when an e-mailed concern escalates to a need for an office visit. J Hum Lact. 23(3):275-279.

Key Words: electronic communication • breastfeeding • e-mail • empowerment


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us   Add to Digg Digg   Add to Reddit Reddit   Add to Technorati Technorati    What's this?