[ibimage==24706==Original==none==self==ibimage_align-center]
In our ever-evolving, constantly connected world, there exists a very real fear of losing touch on a personal level. As we've gained instant access to friends, family, colleagues and business alike through social media and online encounters, it's becoming evident that the convenience of connection may be coming at the cost of more traditional, genuine relationships.
In the realm of healthcare, personalized relationships are extremely important to proper treatment, but instead of technology tearing us apart, a new app is being designed to further the bond between practitioners and their patients.
Called DocDock, the Colorado-developed application is focusing on connecting people to their current healthcare providers in an effort to enable better communication between them, thereby improving the convenience and quality of the healthcare experience. The app is the product of AppIt Ventures and Dr. Richard Abrams who has practiced internal medicine in Denver, Colorado for over 30 years and has been listed in Best Doctors in America since 1995. A pioneer in mobile health technology, Dr. Abrams conceived the app idea while trying to develop an easier way to communicate with his patients.
As various brands and business compete for exposure in social media and online in general, DocDock is instead enabling practitioners to promote their presence where it really matters - in their patients’ lives. The app breaks down the barriers in communication between practitioners and patients, which aims to make the healthcare process less stressful and an overall more positive experience.
[ibimage==24670==Original==none==self==ibimage_align-left]"The DocDock app actually has a certain advantage over social media because healthcare is an extremely personal matter, so communication in that regard is typically meant to stay private rather than social," explained AppIt Ventures Marketing Director Brandy Anderson. "With DocDock, this isn’t a problem because the app makes it easy for people to communicate with their healthcare team, and all communication between patients and providers is strictly confidential. Medical providers can also send alerts and messages directly to patients’ phones through push notifications, so we help improve their communication abilities in that way too. "
Of course, modern technology is often about convenience, and DocDock aims to please by providing the ability to email the office or request an appointment through the app, which are huge time-savers for both the patient and the practitioner. "One-click phone calling and GPS directions are helpful too, but the email and appointment scheduling features are the features that we think people will appreciate most," said Anderson. "We have ideas for other features we want to add that will streamline the process of accessing healthcare even more, but they’re still in development so it’ll be a few weeks before we can make them available. "
But while patients can clearly see the convenience that the app will offer, medical professionals can also use it to offer premium services to their patients through technology that is becoming increasingly essential in today’s mobile landscape. According to Anderson, increasing connectivity between practitioners and patients will help healthcare providers create lasting bonds with their clients and allow them to offer more personal, higher quality healthcare.
DocDock is in development for iPhone and Android devices and currently on track to hit the App store in mid-December. Once it does, healthcare providers can join the free beta program to try it out with their own practice. Beyond that, the app is looking to further its impact on the healthcare sector with fresh ideas, one of which being the ability to save patients’ medical records in the app so they can access their files any time or instantly share it with other healthcare teams if the need arises. Anderson told me that other ideas for future features and functionality include the ability to send pictures through the app, video chat, analytics, and integration with health tracking products like Fitbit.
So, for those of you that are seeking a way to enhance your healthcare experience through technology, it appears that this soon-to-be-released application might be just what the doctor ordered. To find out more about DocDock, you can visit its official website right here.
