My wife has Post It™ notes strategically placed reminding me of various doctor appointments which, more often than not, I tend to forget or reschedule due to other commitments.

As my mobile phone buzzed reminding me of the next conference call of the day, I experienced an epiphany.  If the same type of reminders and communiqué could be received via email/text/IM, with the ability to instantly respond, I would be more apt to schedule—and keep—personal appointments effectively.

What would be great is an app that collects and sends my information directly to the doctor’s office through a secure line.  I could then, at my convenience, stop by the Minute Clinic to get the once over and download my vitals, then pick up a latte through an adjacent Starbucks drive through, before swinging by the CVS again to drive through the check-out lane and fill any prescriptions needed, then be on my way just in time for a conference call with China.

I would be completely comfortable operating in this mode.  Of course, those with more serious or chronic conditions would likely need face2face attention.  However, a system such as this might help encourage better compliance than the current system, phoning into voicemail systems to set appointments, delays until appointments, and lengthy office waits for routine health needs.  Recently, I read a statistic that indicates 80 percent of medical events are related to patient non-compliance.

In recent years there has been a boom in the use of convenient neighborhood-based walk-in medical care.  I am interested in your opinion to the pros and cons of “drive through” healthcare service.

Do you think there is a place in modern healthcare for an uptick in convenience service?