Use of electronic mail for postoperative follow-up after ambulatory surgery.

The authors report on a patient who used electronic mail to report satisfactory recovery from ambulatory surgery and anesthesia. The potential benefits and pitfalls of using electronic mail for patient follow-up and communication, as well as research purposes, are reviewed. Potential benefits include cost savings, ease in collecting quality improvement data, and the potential for increased reporting of unpleasant events. Potential pitfalls include lack of universal access (with racial and socioeconomic differentials), privacy and security concerns, and potential slow responses to messages that might require emergent responses or actions.