Philadelphia Inquirer Examines Software Designed To Compile Transcripts Of Physician-Patient Interaction

Main Category: IT / Internet / E-mail
Also Included In: Primary Care / General Practice
Article Date: 15 Jan 2008 - 5:00 PDT

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The Philadelphia Inquirer on Monday examined software developed by Verilogue, a startup technology company in Pennsylvania, that analyzes real-time patient-physician interactions from digital recordings submitted electronically by physicians, compiles transcripts and places the recordings and transcripts in a database, which clients in the health care industry can use for research purposes. Physicians who participate obtain consent before they digitally record their interactions with patients, and the recordings and transcripts remain confidential and anonymous -- with names, ages and any identifying information removed to meet standards required by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act medical privacy rule.

According to the Inquirer, the database allows pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies to "hear firsthand" from patients and "get a glimpse of the patient's state of mind, progression of disease," and their opinions about medical products and services. Verilogue officials said that the database has attracted an increased number of pharmaceutical and biotech companies and that the company plans to make the information available to the broader health care industry, as well as patients and physicians who participate.

Verilogue President and CEO Jeff Kozloff said, "The idea is, by increasing access to information where it's truly happening, at the point of practice, you are increasing knowledge and will be able to come up with better support and communication materials for physicians and patients because they shared their experience" (Loyd, Philadelphia Inquirer, 1/14).

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