homeopathic practice question

[DCR]

How many practicing homeopaths on this list are utilizing email/internet
websites for case taking? and some or all of their practice? I started out
entirely 'traditional' in the sense of sitting with the client for the
first and follow up visits. Gradually, a good portion of the follow ups
have gone to email. I have been wonderfully surprised by how well most
case management is accomplished via email. Many times I have been asked to
do then entire process via email, but have hesitated and most often
declined.

I know there are some of you who operate entirely using this method and I
would greatly appreciate learning from your experiences - not only in the
actual practice of homeopathy (case taking, follow ups, what works, what
doesn't, etc.) - but also in the mechanics and logistics of practicing this
way (privacy, fee structure, payment mechanics, tracking time spent, etc.).
If you do not wish to respond to the list, please contact me off list.

Thank you in advance.
rona@consultant.com

[Rochelle]

Rarely - only with a patient who has been staying with a relation in the
town and has been sent to me, and then gone back home. They rarely keep it
up for long preferring to see someone in person. I charge my normal follow
up fee. I also occasionally do a phone follow up with someone who can't get
to me and again charge my usual fee and they phone me!!

Rochelle
Registered Homeopath
EFT(Advanced) Practitioner
www.southporthomeopathy.co.uk

[Irene de Villiers]

DCR wrote:

All of mine are by email BUT I work with animal cases. It works very
well as I have a healthy client to relay what they know of their animals
- usually a lot - and that's better than trying to assess a frightened
or sick animal in the office who can not answer questions, much less a
herd of them who may not all find appropriate seating in my office:-)

I make use of all available information including diagnosis and lab
tests by a vet; photos - and sometimes video - via email. Animals (and
owners) do not tend to be shy about necessary information, so hiding
info from the homeopath for various reasons (shy, embarassed, ashamed,
worried what you will think of it etc), is not generally an issue with
animal cases.

Main difficulty: One can not assess urgency/severity/life-force properly
at a distance in my opinion, so I use a client judgement of the animal's
health on a scale of 1 to ten, ten being perfect health and 1 being at
death's door - and put this together with lab findings, questionnaire
answers and knowledge of pathology of disease.
I can understand your reluctance as it is hard to assess a client who is
ill when you can't see them, and what they relay may be too subjective
when you need it objective.
The problem is that too often it is a "better than nothing" issue with
no proper local homeopath available.
Perhaps the best decision-maker is "what is in the best interests of the
client".
I've never had my emails intercepted and I do not encrypt them; I can't
see who would benefit from the effort it would take to intercept them.
I use a dedicated computer that is not used for browsing of potential
virus-laden internet sites which may plant data-seeking software in my
machine. I keep virus-savvy, (do not rely on virus checkers which are
always out of date on new viruses) and have not had a virus to date.
Privacy - all files are double password protected on my machine
(password for the machine - another one to get to data), my file names
do not use client last name so any snoop would have a hard time - and
nobody else has physical access anyway. Everything is on computer (a
great benefit to search and find things) so MUST have backups.
I notify in advance of the way I do it and options.
(eg PayPal for credit cards).
I track work done, not time spent.

While I really think email consults can work well for animals, I'd
personally be very reluctant to do email consults for a person - unless
they had no other options - hence making it in their best interests.
I'd be concerned about missing the urgency assessment as a main risk
area. If you missed a symptom - it would likely get worse and you'd
probably catch it later - you may need more go-rounds to get it right
than with a face to face case .... but a mis-assessment of urgency can
be life threatening depending on the case, and that would be my highest
concern for the method.

Namaste,
Irene
--
Irene de Villiers, B.Sc AASCA MCSSA D.I.Hom/D.Vet.Hom.
P.O. Box 4703 Spokane WA 99220.
www.angelfire.com/fl/furryboots/clickhere.html (Veterinary Homeopath.)
"Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt one doing it."

[Tanya Marquette]

i have done several cases long distance phone. although
successful, i am not that comfortable preferring to see
the person directly. however, when not possible, i am
agreeable to do phone work. i dont really trust e-mail:
it is too difficult to really get the case in writing only.
tanya