New app aims to improve doctor-patient communication

Atlanta, GA-Richard Awdeh, MD, of Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, debuted a new app at SECO that he hopes will improve doctor-patient communication and, in turn, improve treatment and surgical outcomes.

CheckedUp, currently in testing, increases patient access to their healthcare providers by allowing them to ask questions without having to make an appointment. The app will also provide information about conditions, treatments, and surgical procedures in a manner that patients will find easy to understand, said Dr. Awdeh. Doctors can create personalized content and monitor patients.

In a survey, Dr. Awdeh said the patients who used CheckedUp felt less anxiety about their surgery and felt they had spent enough time with their doctor, while actually spending less time than those patients who had not used CheckedUp. 

Dr. Awdeh says CheckedUp is looking for optometric partners as the program continues to develop. ODs interested in participating should e-mail the company at hello@checkedup.com.