Take two and text me in the morning: optimizing clinical time with a short messaging system.

Despite the widespread availability and convenience of short messaging systems, there has been limited adoption of this technology into the medical setting. Resistance may be attributable, in part, to the perceived lack of clinical benefit, privacy concerns, and a lack of physician compensation. This study evaluates the impact of a short messaging system clinical protocol between surgeons and patients. The endpoints evaluated were number of clinic visits, telephone calls, and days to surgical drain removal.