Doctor Pairs TextExpander with a Gaming Mouse for Improved Telehealth Communications

Even though former TidBITS managing editor Josh Centers has been writing for the TextExpander blog for years now, we stay in touch, and he occasionally shares articles that he has written. His most recent post must have been absolute catnip for him to write, since it combines TextExpander and a gaming mouse to improve communications for a telehealth doctor.

Dr. James Ries has developed “monster snippets” that leverage TextExpander’s branching capabilities to create scenario templates for generating chart notes, patient communications, and more. He triggers the snippet with the click of a button on his 12-button gaming mouse, and then selects checkboxes, dropdown menus, and other options that encompass everything that needs to be written for the assessment, prescription options, patient instructions, follow-up plan, and so on. TextExpander then generates a chunk of text ready for pasting into a patient record or message.

The benefit of this approach isn’t just making life easier for Ries and his team. The system helps ensure that key information isn’t left out or forgotten, thereby reducing the risk of errors or miscommunication. Plus, because the repetitive aspects of writing notes and recording details don’t take as much energy, they can focus more on the patients.

What I find most interesting about creating these scenario templates is that the automation happens at the output phase. On the input side, all the information is created, reviewed, and updated manually to ensure it reflects the latest information and the most effective ways to convey it to patients. No AI is involved, so there’s no need to worry about hallucinations or problematic tone.

Most people probably have little use for Ries’s specific snippets, but he has shared a Telehealth Starter Pack that shows how his monster snippets work. If you’re in a situation where you need to create highly accurate but largely boilerplate chunks of text, Josh’s article and Ries’s samples might give you some ideas.

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