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CLINICAL REVIEW: Frank Sullivan and Jeremy C Wyatt How computers can help to share understanding with patients BMJ 2005; 331: 892-894 [Full text]

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....but can they see the screen?

John Tonge   (25 November 2005)

....but can they see the screen? 25 November 2005
John Tonge, GP Riverside Health Centre, Riverside Walk Retford Send response to journal: Re: ....but can they see the screen?	In order for patients to gain maximum benefit from a computer during the consultation they need to be able to view the screen comfortably. This enables them to watch the data we are entering in their record, which I prefer to do as they speak. The patient and doctor can then agree that the record is correct. Secondly the patient can see other data on screen, such as lab results, graphs, medications and search results. In my consulting room I arrange things so that the screen, the patient and I are at the points of a roughly equilateral triangle: it is important not to turn away from the patient during data entry, and to try to encourage even technophobes to interact. I think this mode of working enables the patient to regard the computer as a useful tool, and not as a rival for the doctor's attention Competing interests: None declared