The 'macro mouse'—a love-hate object for gamers—is finding an unexpected and positive use case. It turns out that doctors conducting telehealth consultations are using mice from Razer, a brand well-known for its gaming gear.

According to a report by Tom's Hardware, a U.S.-based telehealth physician revealed on X (formerly Twitter) that he is actively using the 'Razer Naga V2 Pro' for his medical work. The doctor behind this idea, Dr. James Ries, is the founder of Twenty Mile Medical, which provides remote medical services across much of the United States, including urgent care, mental health, and weight management.

Known as a dedicated MMORPG mouse, the Razer Naga is equipped with 19 buttons in total—including 12 on the side—and a dual-mode scroll wheel. The doctor reportedly assigned macro functions to these buttons to simplify complex medical workflows, allowing him to handle repetitive tasks like accessing patient records and automating medical scripts and prescriptions with a single click.

In an interview with TextExpander, Dr. Ries explained how he uses the software to standardize patient care, reduce cognitive load for medical staff, and ensure more accurate medical record-keeping. He noted that he creates short phrases tailored to various situations—such as routine patient communication, sinusitis, or psychiatric prescription refills—and then clicks checkboxes under each phrase to ask questions, add instructions, or generate prescriptions.

Each "Master" snippet contains specific commands, and this is where the Razer Naga V2 Pro truly shines. Instead of memorizing the commands needed to execute a workflow, he has assigned them to the customizable buttons located under his right thumb. He has also designated separate buttons for inserting frequently used paragraphs, such as introductions or signatures. While one might wonder if it is easier to just type a few characters than to press a button, Dr. Ries argues that once mastered, this method saves a significant amount of time.

Beyond saving time, this approach is said to reduce a doctor's cognitive load. 'Decision fatigue' is a real phenomenon across many industries and professions—a psychological state where people make poor decisions not due to a lack of training or carelessness, but simply because they are tired. Dr. Ries argues that combining text shortcuts with a mouse's macro keypad helps reduce this fatigue, as it allows him to execute 'Master' snippets without ever taking his hand off the mouse.

Dr. Ries noted that these tools are not limited to gaming mice; one could also use macro pads like the Stream Deck Neo to assign commands and shortcuts. However, he stated that he still prefers the Razer Naga V2 Pro because it allows him to perform tasks without moving his hand away from his primary peripheral. He added that these principles could be applied just as effectively in other fields, such as customer service teams or law firms.