Meanwhile, some of the more innovative doctors are blogging, creating educational podcasts and videos, holding virtual plastic surgery consultations and using Garageband to record patient-education sound files. On the extreme end of the spectrum, doctors such as Jay Parkinson of New York have eliminated their offices. Parkinson, who bills himself as a "new kind of physician," only makes house calls and is accessible 24/7 via phone, e-mail, instant message, text messaging or video chat. "Patients want to know how their doctor thinks,” said Westby Fisher, director of cardiac electrophysiology at Evanston Northwestern Healthcare. Fisher sees his blog, Dr. Wes as both a creative outlet and a way to connect with patients.
