Closing the feedback loop

Low-cost cholesterol testing machines that provide results within minutes are allowing doctors to provide feedback to patients while they're still in the office, according to the Boston Globe. Used well, it could be a powerful motivational tool to help patients understand how medications and lifestyle changes can affect their cholesterol results. It's even getting to the point where it's practical to have such machines for home use.Providing feedback to patients, especially for conditions such as high cholesterol and high blood pressure that the patient can't feel, is a useful way to help patients take better care of themselves. This is often overlooked in discussions of patient compliance.