MedLetters, a new interactive and convenient tool for physicians, is about to become available online. The company was created to help physicians more effectively communicate with patients about their health care, medication usage, and explanations about illnesses in a quick and convenient fashion.

Dr. Doug Morin, medical director of MedLetters, founded MedLetters after years as a Catholic priest. He left the priesthood and taught English at Metropolitan Community College and then attended medical school at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. His new business combines all three of these chapters in his life.

MedLetters had its beginning in 2009, after Morin’s stepson was hospitalized due to an accident and was treated for a lengthy hospital stay. During that time, Morin wrote a blog for family members to udpate them on his stepson’s progress and to break down the medical side of it by making it less technical and easier to understand. The positive feedback led Morin and his wife to start MedLetters. Morin and his wife paid for the fees for the business and took out loans to cover the difference. About seven months later, MedLetters launched. They don’t have outside funding yet, but are hoping to receive funding in the future.

“There is a huge need for communication with patients to get them in the loop,” Morin said. “Right now, in this particular period of history, there’s a huge need for this type of communication.”

When doctors sign up and use MedLetters, they log into the site, type the patient’s name, click the illnesses, medications and other things the patient should know and an automated letter explaining all of the above is instantly provided to the physician and patient (left, image from medletters.com). The work is already done and only a few clicks leads to one of these useful letters.

The timing of MedLetter’s launch is ideal because of the continuing trend for the medical industry to move to electronic systems and the changing laws in the health care system. Morin sent out nearly 400 postcards with information about the roles and functions of MedLetters.

These promotional postcards broke down the business into the following areas:

• MedLetters is a tool for physicians allowing them to communicate with patients quickly, easily, and with top software.
• These letters explain the condition, medications (with dosage), recommendations, and signs of things to look for.
• The purpose is to be so fast, the doctor can have a printed letter before the patient leaves the office.
• The descriptions of medical treatments are broken down into “plain English.”

Morin believes all these points are attractive for physicians because most patients respond well to this type of communication.

“I estimate it’s going to take about 20 to 30 seconds to generate a letter,” Morin said. “This helps build a more personal relationship between the doctor and patient.”

“The patient is the real beneficiary and hopefully the physicians realize that.”

For more information (including registration, sample letters, and testimonials) about MedLetters, visit medletters.com.