Photos

How to take the photos Dr. Immerman needs

The idea of sending information back and forth in preparation for a consultation or surgery may seem new and strange – but the instant communication allowed by the internet has made this a very useful way for us to communicate with patients from outside of our local area.

The main goal of this is to prevent patients from traveling a great distance to see Dr Immerman in situations where surgery is ultimately not needed, or requiring more than one trip to Eau Claire, Wisconsin. We’ve developed a system where we can collect the information we need by email and have patients come in prepared for both their consultation and their surgery on the same day.

Fortunately, with pilonidal disease all the information that our surgeons need can be obtained by a medical history and specific photos of the gluteal area. The better the photos are, the better they can determine an appropriate plan.

In order to get photographs with the  information we need please send us:

(1) an image of the entire buttock area when standing and/or lying flat on your stomach. This shows how deep the gluteal crease is in your resting position.

(2) an image of the gluteal crease spread apart so we can see the base of the crease. Make sure whatever problems you have are visible. This can include pits, bumps, discoloration, open wounds or sinus tract openings.

(3) IMPORTANT: If there are openings next to the anus, a separate photo is often necessary to demonstrate that area. It is important that we can see the relationship between the lowermost opening and the anus.

This is an example of good photos. Having good lighting helps, and the best photos are usually taken by someone else. The size should be at least several hundred kilobytes, a megabyte, or more. If the image size is below 1 MB it will be hard for our surgeons to zoom into the details they needs to see. Optimal is 1-2 MB. If they are too large, our history form will not be able to send them.

It is up to you to agree to send these photos, and of course, you can come in for consultation in person instead if you wish, but we have found this to be an invaluable tool in speeding up the consultation process. Our evergreensurgical.com email is HIPAA compliant.

Also, if you are planning a visit to us, please fill out and return the Medical History Form, Patient Registration Information, and insurance assignment form, and return it to us by mail or email before your visit. You can download these forms by following this link.