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Study: Doctor response times influenced by patient message writing style

A recent study by Dr. Mitchell Tang and colleagues analyzed over 3.6 million patient messages to understand factors influencing physician response times. The research found that starting messages with the clinician's name, expressing positive sentiment, and providing detailed descriptions (over 100 words) significantly increased the likelihood of a timely reply. Interestingly, patient education level and the use of excessive punctuation did not impact response rates. Dr. Tang suggests that AI tools could potentially help patients draft more effective messages to ensure they receive the attention they need from their doctors. AI

IMPACT AI tools could help patients draft more effective messages to doctors, potentially improving communication and care.

RANK_REASON Study published in Forbes detailing research findings on patient communication. [lever_c_demoted from research: ic=1 ai=0.4]

Read on Forbes — Innovation →

AI-generated summary · Google Gemini · from 1 sources. How we write summaries →

Study: Doctor response times influenced by patient message writing style

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Study published in Forbes detailing research findings on patient communication. [lever_c_demoted from research: ic=1 ai=0.4]
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  1. Forbes — Innovation TIER_1 English(EN) · Paul Hsieh, Contributor ·

    How Your Writing Affects Whether Your Doctor Replies To Your Messages

    As patients increasingly rely on asking questions via medical portals, some types of messages are more likely to get flagged quickly for their doctor's attention.