A London Health Care Trust is using instant messaging to request patient information such as their weight for calculating BMI. By obtaining a patient’s weight via instant message, the patient’s medical records can be updated quickly and efficiently with a current body mass index reading.

With obesity on the rise, it is very important for health care providers to be able to track their patient’s weight and BMI. Nearly a quarter of adults and a fifth of children are currently considered obese in the UK and the numbers are only getting larger. Using text messaging is a fast and accurate way to relay such information and is much for cost effective that calling all patient in for an appointment to gather such little information. This is just one of the methods that health care providers are using to make strides against the disease and is part of the “Healthy Living” strategy that will try to cut levels of obesity in England.

Text messaging is a method of communication that enable the health care providers to gather information from their patients quickly and easily. With cellular communication the most commonly used method of communication for most of the patient base and with obesity levels as they are, one is the perfect compliment to the other is this battle. It only takes about an hour for a provider to find records and realize the need for an information request, to request the information via text message, to receive the requested information and to enter the information and update the charts.. much quicker than a traditional office visit!