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Liu S, McCoy AB, Wright AP, Carew B, Genkins JZ, Huang SS, Peterson JF, Steitz B, Wright A. Leveraging large language models for generating responses to patient messages-a subjective analysis. J Am Med Inform Assoc 2024; 31:1367-1379. [PMID: 38497958 PMCID: PMC11105129 DOI: 10.1093/jamia/ocae052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2023] [Revised: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study aimed to develop and assess the performance of fine-tuned large language models for generating responses to patient messages sent via an electronic health record patient portal. MATERIALS AND METHODS Utilizing a dataset of messages and responses extracted from the patient portal at a large academic medical center, we developed a model (CLAIR-Short) based on a pre-trained large language model (LLaMA-65B). In addition, we used the OpenAI API to update physician responses from an open-source dataset into a format with informative paragraphs that offered patient education while emphasizing empathy and professionalism. By combining with this dataset, we further fine-tuned our model (CLAIR-Long). To evaluate fine-tuned models, we used 10 representative patient portal questions in primary care to generate responses. We asked primary care physicians to review generated responses from our models and ChatGPT and rated them for empathy, responsiveness, accuracy, and usefulness. RESULTS The dataset consisted of 499 794 pairs of patient messages and corresponding responses from the patient portal, with 5000 patient messages and ChatGPT-updated responses from an online platform. Four primary care physicians participated in the survey. CLAIR-Short exhibited the ability to generate concise responses similar to provider's responses. CLAIR-Long responses provided increased patient educational content compared to CLAIR-Short and were rated similarly to ChatGPT's responses, receiving positive evaluations for responsiveness, empathy, and accuracy, while receiving a neutral rating for usefulness. CONCLUSION This subjective analysis suggests that leveraging large language models to generate responses to patient messages demonstrates significant potential in facilitating communication between patients and healthcare providers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siru Liu
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37212, United States
| | - Allison B McCoy
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37212, United States
| | - Aileen P Wright
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37212, United States
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37212, United States
| | - Babatunde Carew
- Department of General Internal Medicine and Public Health, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37212, United States
| | - Julian Z Genkins
- Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94304, United States
| | - Sean S Huang
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37212, United States
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37212, United States
| | - Josh F Peterson
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37212, United States
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37212, United States
| | - Bryan Steitz
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37212, United States
| | - Adam Wright
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37212, United States
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Atarere J, Haas C, Onyeaka H, Adewunmi C, Delungahawatta T, Orhurhu V, Barrow J. The Role of Health Information Technology on Colorectal Cancer Screening Participation Among Smokers In The United States. Telemed J E Health 2024; 30:448-456. [PMID: 37486725 DOI: 10.1089/tmj.2023.0052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Despite advances in its prevention and early detection, colorectal cancer (CRC) remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States and smokers are at an increased risk. Health information technology (HIT) has shown promise in the uptake of preventive health services, including CRC, and may prove useful among smokers. Methods: We obtained data from 7,419 adults who completed the 2018-2020 Health Information National Trends Survey. Using multivariable logistic regression models, we examined the relationship between HIT use and CRC screening participation. Results: Over 20% of current smokers had no access to HIT tools, and those with access were less likely than never smokers to use HIT in checking test results (odds ratio [OR] 0.58; 95% confidence interval [CI] [0.42-0.80]). Among former smokers, using HIT to check test results (OR 3.41; 95% CI [1.86-6.25]), look up health information online (OR 2.20; 95% CI [1.15-4.22]), and make health appointments (OR 2.86; 95% CI [1.39-5.89]) was associated with increased participation in CRC screening. Among current smokers, the use of HIT was not associated with a change in CRC screening participation. Conclusion: HIT use is associated with higher levels of CRC screening among former smokers, which is reassuring given their increased risk of CRC. The low ownership and use of HIT among current smokers of CRC screening age presents a challenge that may limit the integration of HIT into routine CRC screening services.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph Atarere
- Department of Medicine, MedStar Union Memorial Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Christopher Haas
- Department of Medicine, MedStar Union Memorial Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Henry Onyeaka
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Comfort Adewunmi
- Department of Medicine, Northeast Georgia Medical Center, Gainesville, Georgia, USA
| | | | - Vwaire Orhurhu
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Williamsport, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Jasmine Barrow
- Division of Gastroenterology, MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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Langford AT, Orellana K, Buderer N, Andreadis K, Williams SK. Role of digital health communication, sociodemographic factors, and medical conditions on perceived quality of patient-centered communication. PATIENT EDUCATION AND COUNSELING 2024; 119:108054. [PMID: 37992528 DOI: 10.1016/j.pec.2023.108054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2023] [Revised: 10/29/2023] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 11/24/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To simultaneously explore associations between digital health, sociodemographic factors, and medical conditions on patient-centered communication (PCC). These are under-explored, yet important knowledge gaps to fill because perceived quality PCC may influence health information seeking behaviors and health outcomes. METHODS Data from the 2019 Health Information National Trends Survey were analyzed. The primary outcome was PCC, which was the summed score of 7 PCC-related questions. Factors of interest included whether participants used electronic methods to communicate with health professionals, age, gender, race/ethnicity, education, feelings about household income, and history of medical conditions. Descriptive statistics and linear regressions were conducted. RESULTS In the multivariate linear regression model, people aged 65-74 years compared with 18-34 year-olds, those with some college compared with college graduates, and those who felt they were living comfortably on their household income compared with all others reported higher PCC scores. People with a history of hypertension compared with those without reported higher PCC scores. CONCLUSION Similar to past studies, sociodemographic factors were associated with PCC. A novel finding was that a history hypertension was associated with perceived quality of PCC. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS This research may inform methods to enhance communication between patients and clinicians.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aisha T Langford
- Department of Family Medicine and Public Health Sciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA.
| | - Kerli Orellana
- Department of Population Health, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, NYU Langone Health, USA
| | | | - Katerina Andreadis
- Department of Population Health, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, NYU Langone Health, USA
| | - Stephen K Williams
- Department of Population Health, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, NYU Langone Health, USA; Department of Medicine, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, NYU Langone Health, USA
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Xu L, Sockler PG, Park G, Grossberg AL, Wan J. Characterization of patient portal messaging use and content among a pediatric atopic dermatitis population: A cross-sectional study. J Am Acad Dermatol 2024; 90:165-168. [PMID: 37704108 PMCID: PMC10841176 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaad.2023.08.085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Revised: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 08/11/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Lillian Xu
- Department of Dermatology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Patrick G Sockler
- Department of Dermatology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland; Department of Dermatology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Giho Park
- Department of Dermatology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Anna L Grossberg
- Department of Dermatology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Joy Wan
- Department of Dermatology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland.
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Liu S, McCoy AB, Wright AP, Carew B, Genkins JZ, Huang SS, Peterson JF, Steitz B, Wright A. Leveraging Large Language Models for Generating Responses to Patient Messages. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2023:2023.07.14.23292669. [PMID: 37503263 PMCID: PMC10370222 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.14.23292669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Objective This study aimed to develop and assess the performance of fine-tuned large language models for generating responses to patient messages sent via an electronic health record patient portal. Methods Utilizing a dataset of messages and responses extracted from the patient portal at a large academic medical center, we developed a model (CLAIR-Short) based on a pre-trained large language model (LLaMA-65B). In addition, we used the OpenAI API to update physician responses from an open-source dataset into a format with informative paragraphs that offered patient education while emphasizing empathy and professionalism. By combining with this dataset, we further fine-tuned our model (CLAIR-Long). To evaluate the fine-tuned models, we used ten representative patient portal questions in primary care to generate responses. We asked primary care physicians to review generated responses from our models and ChatGPT and rated them for empathy, responsiveness, accuracy, and usefulness. Results The dataset consisted of a total of 499,794 pairs of patient messages and corresponding responses from the patient portal, with 5,000 patient messages and ChatGPT-updated responses from an online platform. Four primary care physicians participated in the survey. CLAIR-Short exhibited the ability to generate concise responses similar to provider's responses. CLAIR-Long responses provided increased patient educational content compared to CLAIR-Short and were rated similarly to ChatGPT's responses, receiving positive evaluations for responsiveness, empathy, and accuracy, while receiving a neutral rating for usefulness. Conclusion Leveraging large language models to generate responses to patient messages demonstrates significant potential in facilitating communication between patients and primary care providers.
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Kim J, Linos E, Fishman DA, Dove MS, Hoch JS, Keegan TH. Factors Associated with Online Patient-Provider Communications Among Cancer Survivors in the United States during COVID: A Cross-Sectional Study. JMIR Cancer 2023; 9:e44339. [PMID: 37074951 DOI: 10.2196/44339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2022] [Revised: 04/05/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 04/20/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Online Patient-Provider Communication (OPPC) is crucial in enhancing access to health information, self-care, and related health outcomes among cancer survivors. The necessity of OPPC increased during SARS/COVID-19 (COVID), yet investigations in vulnerable subgroups have been limited. OBJECTIVE Thus, this study aimed to assess the prevalence of OPPC and sociodemographic and clinical characteristics associated with OPPC among cancer survivors and adults without a history of cancer during COVID vs. pre-COVID. METHODS Nationally representative cross-sectional survey data (Health Information National Trends Survey, HINTS 5 2017-2020) was used among cancer survivors (n= 1,900) and adults without a history of cancer (n= 13, 292). COVID included data from February to June 2020. We calculated the prevalence of three types of OPPC, defined as using email/internet, tablet/smartphone, or Electronic Health Records (EHR) for patient-provider communication, in the past 12 months. To investigate the associations of sociodemographic and clinical factors with OPPC, multivariable-adjusted weighted logistic regression was performed to obtain odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). RESULTS The average prevalence of OPPC increased from pre-COVID to COVID among cancer survivors (39.7% vs. 49.7%, email/internet; 32.2% vs. 37.9%, tablet/smartphone; 19.0% vs. 30.0%, EHR). Cancer survivors (OR=1.32, 95% CI 1.06-1.63) were slightly more likely to use email/internet communications than adults without a history of cancer prior to COVID. Among cancer survivors, email/internet (OR=1.61, 1.08-2.40) and EHR (OR=1.92, 1.22-3.02) were more likely to be used during COVID than pre-COVID. During COVID, subgroups of cancer survivors, including Hispanics (OR=0.26, 0.09-0.71 vs. non-Hispanic Whites), or those with the lowest income (OR=6.14, 1.99-18.92 $50,000 to <$75,000; OR=0.42, 1.56-11.28 ≥ $75,000 vs. <$20,000), with no usual source of care (OR=6.17, 2.12-17.99), or reporting depression (OR=0.33, 0.14-0.78) were less likely to use email/internet and those who were the oldest (OR=9.33, 2.18-40.01 age 35-49; OR=3.58, 1.20-10.70 age 50-64; OR=3.09, 1.09-8.76 age 65-74 vs. ≥75), unmarried (OR=2.26, 1.06-4.86) or had public/no health insurance (ORs=0.19-0.21 Medicare, Medicaid, or Other, vs. private) were less likely to use tablet/smartphone to communicate with providers. Cancer survivors with a usual source of care (OR=6.23, 1.66-23.39) or healthcare office visits within a year (ORs=7.55-8.25) were significantly more likely to use EHR to communicate. While not observed in cancer survivors, lower education level was associated with lower OPPC among adults without a history of cancer during COVID. CONCLUSIONS Our findings identified vulnerable subgroups of cancer survivors who were left behind in online patient-provider communications which are becoming an increasing part of healthcare. Those vulnerable subgroups of cancer survivors with lower OPPC should be helped through multidimensional interventions to prevent further inequities. CLINICALTRIAL Not applicable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiyeong Kim
- Department of Public Health Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, 1 Shields Ave, Davis, US
| | - Eleni Linos
- Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, US
- Department of Dermatology, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, US
| | - Debra A Fishman
- Health Management and Education, UC Davis Health Cardiac Rehabilitation, Davis, US
| | - Melanie S Dove
- Division of Health Policy and Management, Department of Public Health Sciences, University of California, Davis, Davis, US
| | - Jeffrey S Hoch
- Division of Health Policy and Management, Department of Public Health Sciences, Center for Healthcare Policy and Research, University of California, Davis, Davis, US
| | - Theresa H Keegan
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center, Sacramento, US
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Igelström H, Carlsson M, Hauffman A, von Essen L, Grönqvist H, Johansson B, Olsson EM. Long-term effects on depression and anxiety of an internet-based stepped care intervention for patients with cancer and symptoms of depression and anxiety. The U-CARE AdultCan trial. Internet Interv 2023; 32:100625. [PMID: 37273929 PMCID: PMC10235429 DOI: 10.1016/j.invent.2023.100625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2022] [Revised: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 04/21/2023] [Indexed: 06/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Cancer is a serious disease that commonly causes significant psychological distress. The internet-based intervention (iCAN-DO), utilizing a stepped care approach for the treatment of anxiety and depression in individuals with cancer, has been shown to have favorable results for symptoms of depression at the primary endpoint, 10 months after randomization compared to standard care (SC). The aim of the present study was to evaluate the long-term effects of the intervention 18 and 24 months after randomization. Methods Patients with breast, colorectal, or prostate cancer and a score > 7 on either of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) subscales (n = 245) were recruited to the study in conjunction with a regular hospital visit. They were randomized to access to the stepwise iCAN-DO intervention for 24 months or to SC. Step 1 of the intervention comprised psycho-educative online material. In Step 2, internet-based cognitive-behavioral therapy with individual online support from a therapist was added. Step 2 was offered to those who reported persistent anxiety or depression symptoms (>7 on HADS), also at 1, 4, and/or 7 months after randomization. Missing data were imputed using the last rank carried forward method and used for the main analyses according to the intention-to-treat approach. Effects sizes (Cohen's d), and minimally clinically important difference (MCID) were calculated. Linear mixed models were used to analyze intervention effects over time. Results Symptoms of depression decreased significantly (p < 0.05) in the iCAN-DO group compared with the SC group from baseline to 18 months (d = 0.29), but not to 24 months (d = 0.27). Even though the average iCAN-DO group participant surpassed a MCID in symptoms of anxiety (>2 p) at both long-term follow-ups, the differences did not reach statistical significance, either at 18 months (p = 0.10) or 24 months (p = 0.09). Positive effects of iCAN-DO compared with the SC were also shown for some secondary HRQoL-outcomes; social functioning at 18 months (p = 0.02) and 24 months (p = 0.001), and sleep problems at 24 months (p = 0.01). Conclusion A stepped-care internet-based intervention that has previously shown positive results for symptoms of depression at 10 months did show similar positive long-term effects also at 18 months. For symptoms of anxiety, no effect could be shown. The internet may provide an effective format for interventions to reduce symptoms of depression after cancer at patients' own choice of time, regardless of distance to a psycho-oncology clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helena Igelström
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, Uppsala University, Akademiska sjukhuset, 751 85 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Maria Carlsson
- Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences, Uppsala University, Box 564, 751 22 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Anna Hauffman
- Department of Surgical Sciences, Uppsala University, Akademiska sjukhuset, Entrance 78, 1st floor, 751 85 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Louise von Essen
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, Uppsala University, Akademiska sjukhuset, 751 85 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Helena Grönqvist
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, Uppsala University, Akademiska sjukhuset, 751 85 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Birgitta Johansson
- Department of Immunology, Genetics, and Pathology, Uppsala University, Rudbecklaboratoriet, 75185 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Erik M.G. Olsson
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, Uppsala University, Akademiska sjukhuset, 751 85 Uppsala, Sweden
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Liu PL, Yeo TED. How Online Patient-Provider Communication Impacts Quality of Life: Examining the Role of Patient-Centered Care and Health Competence. HEALTH COMMUNICATION 2023; 38:562-567. [PMID: 34340609 DOI: 10.1080/10410236.2021.1961971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The question of how patient-provider communication affects health outcomes has been a longstanding concern for health communication scholarship and practice. As patient-provider communication becomes increasingly mediated by digital technologies, much research has sought to compare online patient-provider communication (OPPC) with that conducted in-person, weighing its relative merits against its costs and barriers. This line of inquiry has mostly focused on the comparative benefits of OPPC for service delivery with little attempt to link these benefits to the wider health implications of OPPC. Consequently, the mechanisms that explain the impacts of OPPC on patients' overall wellbeing have been underexamined. Through a survey of 681 participants in China, this study examined the direct and indirect pathways between OPPC and quality of life (i.e., sleep, exercise, social activities, and psychological wellbeing). Our results demonstrate statistically significant direct relationships between OPPC and the four quality-of-life constructs examined as well as the mediation effects of patient-centered care and health competence in these relationships. The findings call for greater attention to the longer-term contributions of OPPC in empowering patients, especially those who are underserved by the healthcare system.
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Zeng B, Rivadeneira NA, Wen A, Sarkar U, Khoong EC. The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Internet Use and the Use of Digital Health Tools: Secondary Analysis of the 2020 Health Information National Trends Survey. J Med Internet Res 2022; 24:e35828. [PMID: 36041005 PMCID: PMC9488546 DOI: 10.2196/35828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2021] [Revised: 05/02/2022] [Accepted: 08/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The COVID-19 pandemic increased the use of digital tools in health care (eg, patient portal, telemedicine, and web-based scheduling). Studies have shown that older individuals, racial/ethnic minority groups, or populations with lower educational attainment or income have lower rates of using digital health tools. Digitalization of health care may exacerbate already existing access barriers in these populations. Objective This study evaluated how use of digital tools to asynchronously communicate with clinicians, schedule appointments, and view medical records changed near the beginning of the pandemic. Methods Using 2020 Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS) data, we examined internet use and 7 digital health technology use outcomes (electronic communication with a provider, electronic appointment scheduling, electronic test result viewing, patient portal access, portal use to download health records, portal use for patient-provider communication, and portal use to view test results). The HINTS surveyors designated surveys received after March 11, 2020, as postpandemic responses. Using weighted logistic regression, we investigated the impact of the pandemic after adjusting for sociodemographic traits (age, race/ethnicity, income, education, and gender), digital access (having ever used the internet and smartphone/tablet ownership), and health-related factors (insurance coverage, caregiver status, having a regular provider, and chronic diseases). To explore differences in changes in outcomes among key sociodemographic groups, we tested for significant interaction terms between the pandemic variable and race/ethnicity, age, income, and educational attainment. Results There were 3865 respondents (1437 prepandemic and 2428 postpandemic). Of the 8 outcomes investigated, the pandemic was only significantly associated with higher odds (adjusted odds ratio 1.99, 95% CI 1.18-3.35) of using electronic communication with a provider. There were significant interactions between the pandemic variable and 2 key sociodemographic traits. Relative to the lowest income group (<US $20,000), the highest income group (≥US $75,000) had increased growth in the odds of ever having used the internet in postpandemic responses. Compared to the most educated group (postbaccalaureates), groups with lower educational attainment (high school graduates and bachelor’s degree) had lower growth in the odds of using electronic communication with a provider in postpandemic responses. However, individuals with less than a high school degree had similar growth to the postbaccalaureate group in using electronic communication with a provider. Conclusions Our study did not show a widespread increase in use of digital health tools or increase in disparities in using these tools among less advantaged populations in the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Although some advantaged populations reported a greater increase in using the internet or electronic communication with a provider, there were signs that some less advantaged populations also adapted to an increasingly digital health care ecosystem. Future studies are needed to see if these differences remain beyond the initial months of the pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Billy Zeng
- School of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Natalie A Rivadeneira
- Division of General Internal Medicine at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital, Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States.,Center for Vulnerable Populations at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital, Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Anita Wen
- Department of Nutrition, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Urmimala Sarkar
- Division of General Internal Medicine at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital, Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States.,Center for Vulnerable Populations at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital, Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Elaine C Khoong
- Division of General Internal Medicine at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital, Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States.,Center for Vulnerable Populations at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital, Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
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10
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Rolnick J, Ward R, Tait G, Patel N. Early Adopters of Apple Health Records at a Large Academic Medical Center: Cross-sectional Survey of Users. J Med Internet Res 2022; 24:e29367. [PMID: 35076397 PMCID: PMC8826150 DOI: 10.2196/29367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2021] [Revised: 08/28/2021] [Accepted: 11/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background
Mobile applications offer a new approach to personal health records, which are internet-based tools for patients to consolidate and manage their health information. The University of Pennsylvania Health System (UPHS) was one of the first health systems to participate in Apple Health Records (AHR), a prominent example of this new generation of personal health records.
Objective
This study aimed to characterize early adoption of AHR among UPHS patients and understand user perspectives.
Methods
An email-based survey with fixed answer, Likert scale, and open-ended questions was administered to all UPHS patients using AHR in the first 10 months of enrollment. Survey data linked to the UPHS electronic health record system were used to analyze responses. Multivariable logistic regression modeled the association of patient characteristics with user ratings. Content analysis was used to analyze open-ended questions.
Results
At the time of the survey, a total of 1458 patients had used AHR at least once. Mean age of AHR users was 47.5 years, 66.3% (967/1458) were male, 70.9% (1033/1458) were white, and 80.8% (1178/1458) had private insurance. Response rate was 26.8% (391/1458); 46.3% (180/389) were very satisfied with AHR, and 67.7% (264/390) described it as very easy to use. The most commonly utilized features were lab results (324/391, 82.9%), clinical vitals (264/391, 67.5%), and medications (253/391, 64.7%). No patient characteristics were associated with reporting high satisfaction or ease of use. The most common reason for using AHR was convenience/ease of use, and 58.2% (160/275) of users reported allowing no other apps to access their health information, citing privacy as one consideration.
Conclusions
Early adopters of AHR were demographically white, male, and privately insured. Convenience was an important facilitator, and users were selective in which apps they allowed to access their health information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua Rolnick
- United States Department of Veterans Affairs, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Robin Ward
- University of Pennsylvania Health System, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Gordon Tait
- University of Pennsylvania Health System, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Neha Patel
- Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- University of Pennsylvania Health System, Philadelphia, PA, United States
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11
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Santos AD, Caine V, Robson PJ, Watson L, Easaw JC, Petrovskaya O. Oncology Patients' Experiences With Novel Electronic Patient Portals to Support Care and Treatment: Qualitative Study With Early Users and Nonusers of Portals in Alberta, Canada. JMIR Cancer 2021; 7:e32609. [PMID: 34822338 PMCID: PMC8663539 DOI: 10.2196/32609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2021] [Revised: 10/08/2021] [Accepted: 10/28/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Background With the current proliferation of clinical information technologies internationally, patient portals are increasingly being adopted in health care. Research, conducted mostly in the United States, shows that oncology patients have a keen interest in portals to gain access to and track comprehensive personal health information. In Canada, patient portals are relatively new and research into their use and effects is currently emerging. There is a need to understand oncology patients’ experiences of using eHealth tools and to ground these experiences in local sociopolitical contexts of technology implementation, while seeking to devise strategies to enhance portal benefits. Objective The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of oncology patients and their family caregivers when using electronic patient portals to support their health care needs. We focused on how Alberta’s unique, 2-portal context shapes experiences of early portal adopters and nonadopters, in anticipation of a province-wide rollout of a clinical information system in oncology facilities. Methods This qualitative descriptive study employed individual semistructured interviews and demographic surveys with 11 participants. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Data were analyzed thematically. The study was approved by the University of Alberta Human Research Ethics Board. Results Participants currently living with nonactive cancer discussed an online patient portal as one among many tools (including the internet, phone, videoconferencing, print-out reports) available to make sense of their diagnosis and treatment, maintain connections with health care providers, and engage with information. In the Fall of 2020, most participants had access to 1 of 2 of Alberta’s patient portals and identified ways in which this portal was supportive (or not) of their ongoing health care needs. Four major themes, reflecting the participants’ broader concerns within which the portal use was occurring, were generated from the data: (1) experiencing doubt and the desire for transparency; (2) seeking to become an informed and active member of the health care team; (3) encountering complexity; and (4) emphasizing the importance of the patient–provider relationship. Conclusions Although people diagnosed with cancer and their family caregivers considered an online patient portal as beneficial, they identified several areas that limit how portals support their oncology care. Providers of health care portals are invited to recognize these limitations and work toward addressing them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda D Santos
- Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Vera Caine
- Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Paula J Robson
- Cancer Care Alberta, Alberta Health Services, Edmonton, AB, Canada.,School of Public Health, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Linda Watson
- Cancer Care Alberta, Alberta Health Services, Edmonton, AB, Canada.,Faculty of Nursing, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Jacob C Easaw
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Oncology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.,Cross Cancer Institute, Alberta Health Services, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Olga Petrovskaya
- Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.,School of Nursing, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
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12
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Heisey-Grove D, McClelland LE, Rathert C, Jackson K, DeShazo J. Associations Between Patient-Provider Secure Message Content and Patients' Health Care Visits. Telemed J E Health 2021; 28:690-698. [PMID: 34569867 DOI: 10.1089/tmj.2021.0164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Between-visit communications can play a vital role in improving intermediate patient outcomes such as access to care and satisfaction. Secure messaging is a growing modality for these communications, but research is limited about the influence of message content on those intermediate outcomes. We examined associations between secure message content and patients' number of health care visits. Methods: Our study included 2,111 adult patients with hypertension and/or diabetes and 18,309 patient- and staff-generated messages. We estimated incident rate ratios (IRRs) for associations between taxonomic codes assigned to message content, and the number of office, emergency department, and inpatient visits. Results: Patients who initiated message threads in 2017 had higher numbers of outpatient visits (p < 0.001) compared with patients who did not initiate threads. Among patients who initiated threads, we identified an inverse relationship between outpatient visits and preventive care scheduling requests (IRR = 0.92; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.86-0.98) and requests for appointments for new conditions (IRR = 0.95; 95% CI: 0.92-0.99). Patients with higher proportions of request denials or more follow-up appointment requests had more emergency department visits compared with patients who received or sent other content (IRR = 1.18; 95% CI: 1.03-1.34 and IRR = 1.14; 95% CI: 1.07-1.23, respectively). We identified a positive association between outpatient visits and the proportion of threads that lacked a clinic response (IRR = 1.02; 95% CI: 1.00-1.03). Discussion: We report on the first analyses to examine associations between message content and health care visits. Conclusions: Our findings are relevant to understanding how to better use secure messaging to support patients and their care.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Laura E McClelland
- Department of Health Administration, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - Cheryl Rathert
- Department of Health Management and Policy, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Kevin Jackson
- Allied Health Department, Norfolk State University, Norfolk, Virginia, USA
| | - Jonathan DeShazo
- Department of Health Administration, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA
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13
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Kindratt TB, Allicock M, Atem F, Dallo FJ, Balasubramanian BA. Email Patient-Provider Communication and Cancer Screenings Among US Adults: Cross-sectional Study. JMIR Cancer 2021; 7:e23790. [PMID: 34328421 PMCID: PMC8367146 DOI: 10.2196/23790] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2020] [Revised: 04/12/2021] [Accepted: 06/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The growth of electronic medical records and use of patient portals have allowed for patients and health care providers to communicate via email and direct messaging between health care visits. Email patient-provider communication (PPC) may enhance traditional face-to-face PPC by allowing patients to ask questions, receive clear explanations, engage in shared decision-making, and confirm their understanding between in-person visits. Despite increasing trends in the use of email PPC since the early 2000s, few studies have evaluated associations between email PPC and the uptake of preventive services. Objective The objective of this study was to determine associations between the use of email PPC and the likelihood of undergoing breast, cervical, and colon cancer screenings among adults who have received health care in the past 12 months. Methods Secondary, cross-sectional data from the 2011-2015 National Health Interview Survey were combined and analyzed. For each cancer screening, inclusion criteria were based on the age of screening recommendations and prior history of cancer diagnosis (n=35,912 for breast, n=48,512 for cervical, and n=45,884 for colon). The independent variable was whether adults used email PPC in the past 12 months (yes or no). The dependent variables were whether (1) women (aged ≥40 years) received a mammogram in the past 12 months; (2) women (aged 21-65 years) received a Pap test in the past 12 months; and (3) individuals (aged ≥50 years) received a colon cancer screening in the past 12 months. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were conducted. Results Adults who reported receiving all three cancer screenings in the past 12 months were more likely to be non-Hispanic White; be married or living with a partner; have a bachelor’s degree or higher education level; have health insurance coverage; and perceive their health as excellent, very good, or good (all P<.001). Men were more likely to receive colon cancer screenings than women (P<.001). Multivariable logistic regression models showed women who used email to communicate with their health care providers had greater odds of receiving breast (odds ratio [OR] 1.32, 95% CI 1.20-1.44) and cervical (OR 1.11, 95% CI 1.02-1.20) cancer screenings than women who did not use email PPC. Adults who used email to communicate with their health care providers had 1.55 times greater odds (95% CI 1.42-1.69) of receiving a colon cancer screening than those who did not use email PPC. Conclusions Our results demonstrate that email PPC is a marker of increased likelihood of adults completing age-appropriate cancer screenings, particularly breast, cervical, and colon cancer screenings. More research is needed to examine other factors related to the reasons for and quality of email PPC between patients and health care providers and determine avenues for health education and intervention to further explore this association.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiffany B Kindratt
- Public Health Program, Department of Kinesiology, College of Nursing and Health Innovation, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX, United States
| | - Marlyn Allicock
- Department of Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences, School of Public Health Dallas, UTHealth, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Dallas, TX, United States.,Center for Health Promotion and Prevention Research, Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, United States
| | - Folefac Atem
- Department of Biostatistics and Data Science, School of Public Health Dallas, UTHealth, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Dallas, TX, United States
| | - Florence J Dallo
- Department of Public and Environmental Wellness, School of Health Sciences, Oakland University, Rochester, MI, United States
| | - Bijal A Balasubramanian
- Center for Health Promotion and Prevention Research, Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, United States.,Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics, and Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health Dallas, UTHealth, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Dallas, TX, United States
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14
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Heisey‐Grove D, Rathert C, McClelland LE, Jackson K, DeShazo J. Classification of patient- and clinician-generated secure messages using a theory-based taxonomy. Health Sci Rep 2021; 4:e295. [PMID: 34084944 PMCID: PMC8142627 DOI: 10.1002/hsr2.295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2020] [Revised: 04/10/2021] [Accepted: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND As secure electronic message exchange increases between patients and clinicians, we must explore and understand how patients and clinicians use those messages to communicate between clinical visits. OBJECTIVE To present the application of a taxonomy developed specifically to code secure message content in a way that allows for identification of patient and clinician communication functions demonstrated to be associated with patients' intermediate and health outcomes. METHOD We randomly sampled 1031 patients who sent and received 18 309 messages and coded those messages with codes from our taxonomy. We present the prevalence of each taxon (ie, code) within the sample. RESULTS The most common taxon among initial patient-generated messages were Information seeking (29.09%), followed by Scheduling requests (27.91%), and Prescription requests (23.09%). Over half of subsequent patient-generated messages included responses to clinic staffs' questions (58.31%). Six in 10 clinic staff responses included some form of Information sharing with process-based responses being most common (32.81%). A third of all clinician-generated messages (36.28%) included acknowledgement or some level of fulfilment of a patient's task-oriented request. Clinic staff sought information from patients in 20.54% of their messages. CONCLUSION This taxonomy is the first step toward examining whether secure messaging communication can be associated with patients' health outcomes. Knowing which content is positively associated with outcomes can support training of, and targeted responses from, clinicians with the goal of generating message content designed to improve outcomes. PATIENT CONTRIBUTION This study is based on analyses of patient-initiated secure message threads.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dawn Heisey‐Grove
- Promoting Health and Disease Prevention Department, Public Health Division, The Health FFRDCThe MITRE CorporationMcLeanVirginia
| | - Cheryl Rathert
- Health Administration DepartmentCollege of Health Professions, Virginia Commonwealth UniversityRichmondVirginia
| | - Laura E McClelland
- Department of Health Management and PolicySaint Louis UniversitySt. LouisMissouri
| | - Kevin Jackson
- Allied Health DepartmentNorfolk State UniversityNorfolkVirginia
| | - Jonathan DeShazo
- Department of Health Management and PolicySaint Louis UniversitySt. LouisMissouri
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15
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Li P, Xu L, Tang T, Wu X, Huang C. Willingness to Adopt Health Information Among Social Question-and-Answer Community Users in China: Cross-sectional Survey Study. J Med Internet Res 2021; 23:e27811. [PMID: 33970865 PMCID: PMC8143873 DOI: 10.2196/27811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2021] [Revised: 04/10/2021] [Accepted: 05/08/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND COVID-19 has spread around the world and has increased the public's need for health information in the process. Meanwhile, in the context of lockdowns and other measures for preventing SARS-CoV-2 spread, the internet has surged as a web-based resource for health information. Under these conditions, social question-and-answer communities (SQACs) are playing an increasingly important role in improving public health literacy. There is great theoretical and practical significance in exploring the influencing factors of SQAC users' willingness to adopt health information. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to establish an extended unified theory of acceptance and use of technology model that could analyze the influence factors of SQAC users' willingness to adopt health information. Particularly, we tried to test the moderating effects that different demographic characteristics had on the variables' influences. METHODS This study was conducted by administering a web-based questionnaire survey and analyzing the responses from a final total of 598 valid questionnaires after invalid data were cleaned. By using structural equation modelling, the influencing factors of SQAC users' willingness to adopt health information were analyzed. The moderating effects of variables were verified via hierarchical regression. RESULTS Performance expectation (β=.282; P<.001), social influence (β=.238; P=.02), and facilitating conditions (β=.279; P=.002) positively affected users' willingness to adopt health information, whereas effort expectancy (P=.79) and perceived risk (P=.41) had no significant effects. Gender had a significant moderating effect in the structural equation model (P<.001). CONCLUSIONS SQAC users' willingness to adopt health information was evidently affected by multiple factors, such as performance expectation, social influence, and facilitating conditions. The structural equation model proposed in this study has a good fitting degree and good explanatory power for users' willingness to adopt health information. Suggestions were provided for SQAC operators and health management agencies based on our research results.
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Affiliation(s)
- PengFei Li
- Medical Informatics College, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.,Medical Data Science Academy, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Lin Xu
- Medical Informatics College, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.,Medical Data Science Academy, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Tingting Tang
- Medical Informatics College, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.,The Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xiaoqian Wu
- Medical Informatics College, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.,Medical Data Science Academy, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Cheng Huang
- Medical Informatics College, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.,Medical Data Science Academy, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
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16
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Kim HS, Kim HJ, Juon HS. Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Patient-Provider Communication and the Role of E-Health Use. JOURNAL OF HEALTH COMMUNICATION 2021; 26:194-203. [PMID: 33899688 DOI: 10.1080/10810730.2021.1919248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Although the health care industry has strived to address racial/ethnic disparities in health communication, several gaps remain. Previous findings suggest that communication technology might help narrow the gaps; however, they do not provide a comprehensive picture of how or why. To answer these questions, we examined the potential role of communication technology in mitigating the racial/ethnic disparities in patient-provider communication. Data analysis of the 2018 Health Information National Trends Survey (N= 3,504) revealed that the levels of perceived quality of communication with health care providers were lower among Asians and Hispanics than non-Hispanic Whites while no difference emerged between Blacks and non-Hispanic Whites. Although the adoption of communication technology was relatively high across minority groups, its use appeared to play different roles in different racial/ethnic populations. The Internet and patient portals showed no particular associations with patient-provider communication except for Black Internet users, who reported poorer experiences with patient-provider communication than non-users. Among Asians and Hispanics, social media and mobile communication appeared to play different roles in impacting communication experiences with health care providers. The findings suggest that communication technologies need to be strategically utilized and tailored to better meet the communication needs of racial/ethnic minorities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyang-Sook Kim
- Department of Mass Communication, Towson University, Towson, Maryland, USA
| | - Hee Jun Kim
- College of Nursing, Ajou University, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Hee-Soon Juon
- Department of Oncology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
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17
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Yang X, Yang N, Lewis D, Parton J, Hudnall M. Patterns and Influencing Factors of eHealth Tools Adoption Among Medicaid and Non-Medicaid Populations From the Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS) 2017-2019: Questionnaire Study. J Med Internet Res 2021; 23:e25809. [PMID: 33599619 PMCID: PMC7932842 DOI: 10.2196/25809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2020] [Revised: 12/22/2020] [Accepted: 01/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Evidence suggests that eHealth tools adoption is associated with better health outcomes among various populations. The patterns and factors influencing eHealth adoption among the US Medicaid population remain obscure. OBJECTIVE The objective of this study is to explore patterns of eHealth tools adoption among the Medicaid population and examine factors associated with eHealth adoption. METHODS Data from the Health Information National Trends Survey from 2017 to 2019 were used to estimate the patterns of eHealth tools adoption among Medicaid and non-Medicaid populations. The effects of Medicaid insurance status and other influencing factors were assessed with logistic regression models. RESULTS Compared with the non-Medicaid population, the Medicaid beneficiaries had significantly lower eHealth tools adoption rates for health information management (11.2% to 17.5% less) and mobile health for self-regulation (0.8% to 9.7% less). Conversely, the Medicaid population had significantly higher adoption rates for using social media for health information than their counterpart (8% higher in 2018, P=.01; 10.1% higher in 2019, P=.01). Internet access diversity, education, and cardiovascular diseases were positively associated with health information management and mobile health for self-regulation among the Medicaid population. Internet access diversity is the only factor significantly associated with social media adoption for acquisition of health information (OR 1.98, 95% CI 1.26-3.11). CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest digital disparities in eHealth tools adoption between the Medicaid and non-Medicaid populations. Future research should investigate behavioral correlates and develop interventions to improve eHealth adoption and use among underserved communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Yang
- Institute of Data and Analytics, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, United States
| | - Ning Yang
- Department of Information Systems, Statistics, and Management Science, Culverhouse College of Business, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, United States
| | - Dwight Lewis
- Institute of Data and Analytics, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, United States.,Department of Management, Culverhouse College of Business, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, United States
| | - Jason Parton
- Institute of Data and Analytics, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, United States.,Department of Information Systems, Statistics, and Management Science, Culverhouse College of Business, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, United States
| | - Matthew Hudnall
- Institute of Data and Analytics, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, United States.,Department of Information Systems, Statistics, and Management Science, Culverhouse College of Business, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, United States
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18
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Heisey-Grove DM, McClelland LE, Rathert C, Tartaglia A, Jackson K, DeShazo JP. Associations Between Patient Health Outcomes and Secure Message Content Exchanged Between Patients and Clinicians: Retrospective Cohort Study. J Med Internet Res 2020; 22:e19477. [PMID: 33118938 PMCID: PMC7661231 DOI: 10.2196/19477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2020] [Revised: 09/05/2020] [Accepted: 09/07/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The number of electronic messages securely exchanged between clinic staff and patients has risen dramatically over the last decade. A variety of studies explored whether the volume of messages sent by patients was associated with outcomes. None of these studies, however, examined whether message content itself was associated with outcomes. Because secure messaging is a significant form of communication between patients and clinic staff, it is critical to evaluate the context of the communication to best understand its impact on patient health outcomes. Objective To examine associations between patients’ and clinicians’ message content and changes in patients’ health outcomes. Methods We applied a taxonomy developed specifically for secure messages to 14,394 patient- and clinic staff–generated messages derived from patient-initiated message threads. Our study population included 1602 patients, 50.94% (n=816) of whom initiated message threads. We conducted linear regression analyses to determine whether message codes were associated with changes in glycemic (A1C) levels in patients with diabetes and changes in systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) blood pressure in patients with hypertension. Results Patients who initiated threads had larger declines in A1Cs (P=.01) compared to patients who did not initiate threads. Clinic nonresponse was associated with decreased SBP (β=–.30; 95% CI –0.56 to –0.04), as were staffs’ action responses (β=–30; 95% CI –0.58 to –0.02). Increased DBP, SBP, and A1C levels were associated with patient-generated appreciation and praise messages and staff encouragement with effect sizes ranging from 0.51 (A1C) to 5.80 (SBP). We found improvements in SBP associated with patients’ complaints (β=–4.03; 95% CI –7.94 to –0.12). Deferred information sharing by clinic staff was associated with increased SBP (β=1.29; 95% CI 0.4 to 2.19). Conclusions This is the first research to find associations between message content and patients’ health outcomes. Our findings indicate mixed associations between patient message content and patient outcomes. Further research is needed to understand the implications of this work; in the meantime, health care providers should be aware that their message content may influence patient health outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dawn M Heisey-Grove
- MITRE Corporation, McLean, VA, United States.,College of Health Professions, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, United States
| | - Laura E McClelland
- College of Health Professions, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, United States
| | - Cheryl Rathert
- Department of Health Management and Policy, Saint Louis University, St Louis, MO, United States
| | - Alexander Tartaglia
- College of Health Professions, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, United States
| | - Kevin Jackson
- Department of Nursing and Allied Health, College of Science, Engineering, and Technology, Norfolk State University, Norfolk, VA, United States
| | - Jonathan P DeShazo
- College of Health Professions, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, United States
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19
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Holt JM, Cusatis R, Winn A, Asan O, Spanbauer C, Williams JS, Flynn KE, Somai M, Laud P, Crotty BH. The Impact of Previsit Contextual Data Collection on Patient-Provider Communication and Patient Activation: Study Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial. JMIR Res Protoc 2020; 9:e20309. [PMID: 32965223 PMCID: PMC7542405 DOI: 10.2196/20309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2020] [Revised: 07/23/2020] [Accepted: 07/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Patient-centered care is respectful of and responsive to individual patient preferences, needs, and values. To provide patient-centered care, clinicians need to know and incorporate patients' context into their communication and care with patients. Patient contextual data (PCD) encompass social determinants of health and patients' needs, values, goals, and preferences relevant to their care. PCD can be challenging to collect as a routine component of the time-limited primary care visit. OBJECTIVE This study aims to determine if patient-provider communication and patient activation are different for patient users and patient nonusers of an electronic health record (EHR)-integrated PCD tool and assess if the impact of using PCD on patient-provider communication and patient activation differs for Black and White patients. METHODS We describe a randomized controlled trial of a prospective cohort of non-Hispanic White and Black patients who receive primary care services at a midwestern academic health care system in the United States. We will evaluate whether providing PCD through a consumer informatics tool enhances patient-provider communication, as measured by the Communication Assessment Tool, and we will evaluate patient activation, as measured by the Patient Activation Measure for PCD tool users and nonusers. Furthermore, owing to racial disparities in care and communication, we seek to determine if the adoption and use of the tool might narrow the differences between patient groups. RESULTS The trial was funded in November 2017 and received local ethics review approval in February 2019. The study began recruitment in April 2019 and enrollment concluded in October 2019 with 301 participants. The analysis was completed in May 2020, and trial results are expected to be published in winter 2020. CONCLUSIONS Recently, there has been increased attention to the role of health information technology tools to enable patients to collaborate with providers through the sharing of PCD. The adoption of such tools may overcome the barriers of current EHRs by directly engaging patients to submit their contextual data. Effectively, these tools would support the EHR in providing a more holistic understanding of the patient. Research further supports that individuals who have robust digital engagement using consumer informatics tools have higher participation in treatment follow-up and self-care across populations. Therefore, it is critical to investigate interventions that elicit and share patients' social risks and care preferences with the health care team as a mechanism to improve individualized care and reduce the gap in health outcomes. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03766841; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03766841. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID) RR1-10.2196/20309.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeana M Holt
- College of Nursing, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI, United States
- Department of Family & Community Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States
| | - Rachel Cusatis
- Hematology and Oncology Department of Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States
| | - Aaron Winn
- School of Pharmacy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States
| | - Onur Asan
- School of Systems and Enterprises, Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, NJ, United States
| | - Charles Spanbauer
- Institute for Health and Equity, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States
| | - Joni S Williams
- Department of Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, Center for Advancing Population Science, Milwaukee, WI, United States
| | - Kathryn E Flynn
- Department of Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States
| | - Melek Somai
- Department of Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States
| | - Purushottam Laud
- Institute for Health and Equity, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States
| | - Bradley H Crotty
- Department of Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States
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20
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Turner K, Clary A, Hong YR, Alishahi Tabriz A, Shea CM. Patient Portal Barriers and Group Differences: Cross-Sectional National Survey Study. J Med Internet Res 2020; 22:e18870. [PMID: 32940620 PMCID: PMC7530687 DOI: 10.2196/18870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2020] [Revised: 07/22/2020] [Accepted: 08/16/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Past studies examining barriers to patient portal adoption have been conducted with a small number of patients and health care settings, limiting generalizability. OBJECTIVE This study had the following two objectives: (1) to assess the prevalence of barriers to patient portal adoption among nonadopters and (2) to examine the association between nonadopter characteristics and reported barriers in a nationally representative sample. METHODS Data from this study were obtained from the 2019 Health Information National Trends Survey. We calculated descriptive statistics to determine the most prevalent barriers and conducted multiple variable logistic regression analysis to examine which characteristics were associated with the reported barriers. RESULTS The sample included 4815 individuals. Among these, 2828 individuals (58.73%) had not adopted a patient portal. Among the nonadopters (n=2828), the most prevalent barriers were patient preference for in-person communication (1810/2828, 64.00%), no perceived need for the patient portal (1385/2828, 48.97%), and lack of comfort and experience with computers (735/2828, 25.99%). Less commonly, individuals reported having no patient portal (650/2828, 22.98%), no internet access (650/2828, 22.98%), privacy concerns (594/2828, 21.00%), difficulty logging on (537/2828, 18.99%), and multiple patient portals (255/2828, 9.02%) as barriers. Men had significantly lower odds of indicating a preference for speaking directly to a provider compared with women (odds ratio [OR] 0.75, 95% CI 0.60-0.94; P=.01). Older age (OR 1.01, 95% CI 1.00-1.02; P<.001), having a chronic condition (OR 1.83, 95% CI 1.44-2.33; P<.001), and having an income lower than US $20,000 (OR 1.61, 95% CI 1.11-2.34; P=.01) were positively associated with indicating a preference for speaking directly to a provider. Hispanic individuals had significantly higher odds of indicating that they had no need for a patient portal (OR 1.59, 95% CI 1.24-2.05; P<.001) compared with non-Hispanic individuals. Older individuals (OR 1.05, 95% CI 1.04-1.06; P<.001), individuals with less than a high school diploma (OR 3.15, 95% CI 1.79-5.53; P<.001), and individuals with a household income of less than US $20,000 (OR 2.78, 95% CI 1.88-4.11; P<.001) had significantly higher odds of indicating that they were uncomfortable with a computer. CONCLUSIONS The most common barriers to patient portal adoption are preference for in-person communication, not having a need for the patient portal, and feeling uncomfortable with computers, which are barriers that are modifiable and can be intervened upon. Patient characteristics can help predict which patients are most likely to experience certain barriers to patient portal adoption. Further research is needed to tailor implementation approaches based on patients' needs and preferences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kea Turner
- Department of Health Outcomes and Behavior, Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL, United States
| | - Alecia Clary
- Center for Healthcare Transformation, Avalere Health, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Young-Rock Hong
- Department of Health Services Research, Management, and Policy, College of Public Health and Health Professions, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Amir Alishahi Tabriz
- Division of Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Christopher M Shea
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
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21
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Persistent digital divide in health-related internet use among cancer survivors: findings from the Health Information National Trends Survey, 2003-2018. J Cancer Surviv 2020; 15:87-98. [PMID: 32671557 PMCID: PMC7360998 DOI: 10.1007/s11764-020-00913-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2020] [Accepted: 07/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Purpose Prior research on the use of the internet among cancer survivors indicates a digital divide. The online landscape and patterns of information consumption, however, have notably changed over the past decade necessitating an updated examination of health-related internet use (HRIU) among cancer survivors. Methods Using survey data from 2003, 2005, 2007, 2011, 2013, 2017, and 2018 Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS) iterations, the objectives of this study were to report prevalence, trends, and user profiles in HRIU in terms of emailing doctors, buying medicine online, and support group participation. Descriptive analyses and weighted multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed. Results Cancer survivors who reported not using the internet were more likely to be older, belong to ethnic minorities, be less educated, and reside in rural areas as compared with those who reported using the internet. Except for participation in online support groups, all other types of HRIU increased in prevalence across the years. Conclusions Consistent with the increased penetration of the internet and the altered online health communication landscape, we found increased prevalence of HRIU among cancer survivors. However, the digital divide persists in terms of internet access. These findings can inform initiatives to bridge the gap among survivors of varying profiles in using the internet for their health needs. Implications for Cancer Survivors There is increased reliance on online platforms to obtain and communicate health-related information. The risk with this approach is potential oversight of ensuring equity in terms of internet access and technology literacy among survivors. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1007/s11764-020-00913-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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22
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Rolnick JA, Oredeko F, Cooney-Zingman E, Asch DA, Halpern SD. Comparison of Web-Based and Paper Advance Directives: A Pilot Randomized Clinical Trial. Am J Hosp Palliat Care 2020; 38:230-237. [PMID: 32648476 DOI: 10.1177/1049909120940210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Digital tools to document care preferences in serious illnesses are increasingly common, but their impact is unknown. We developed a web-based advance directive (AD) featuring (1) modular content eliciting detailed care preferences, (2) the ability to electronically transmit ADs to the electronic health record (EHR), and (3) use of nudges to promote document transmission and sharing. OBJECTIVE To compare a web-based, EHR-transmissible AD to a paper AD. METHODS Patients with gastrointestinal and lung malignancies were randomized to the web or paper AD. The primary outcome was the proportion of patients with newly documented advance care plans in the EHR at 8 weeks. Secondary outcomes assessed through an e-mail survey included the change in satisfaction with end-of-life plans, AD acceptability, and self-reported sharing with a surrogate. RESULTS Ninety-one participants were enrolled: 46 randomly allocated to the web AD and 45 to paper. Thirteen patients assigned to web AD (28%) had new documentation versus 7 (16%) assigned to paper (P = .14). Adjusted for demographic factors and primary diagnosis, the odds ratio of new documentation with web AD was 3.7 (95% CI: 0.8-17.0, P = .10). Satisfaction with advance care planning and AD acceptability were high in both groups and not significantly different. Among patients completing web ADs, 79% reported sharing plans with their caregivers, compared with 65% of those completing paper ADs (P = .40). CONCLUSION Web-based ADs hold promise for promoting documentation and sharing of preferences, but larger studies are needed to quantify effects on these intermediate end points and on patient-centered outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua A Rolnick
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, 14640University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.,Palliative and Advanced Illness Research (PAIR) Center, Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, 14640University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.,Corporal Michael J. Crescenz VA Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA.,National Clinician Scholars Program, 14640University of Pennsylvania, PA, USA
| | - Francisca Oredeko
- Palliative and Advanced Illness Research (PAIR) Center, Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, 14640University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Elizabeth Cooney-Zingman
- Palliative and Advanced Illness Research (PAIR) Center, Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, 14640University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - David A Asch
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, 14640University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.,Corporal Michael J. Crescenz VA Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA.,Center for Health Care Innovation, Penn Medicine, Philadelphia PA, USA
| | - Scott D Halpern
- Palliative and Advanced Illness Research (PAIR) Center, Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, 14640University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.,Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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23
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Heisey-Grove DM, Carretta HJ. Disparities in Secure Messaging Uptake Between Patients and Physicians: Longitudinal Analysis of Two National Cross-Sectional Surveys. J Med Internet Res 2020; 22:e12611. [PMID: 32356775 PMCID: PMC7229528 DOI: 10.2196/12611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2018] [Revised: 12/31/2019] [Accepted: 01/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Emails securely exchanged between patients and clinicians offer the promise of improved access to care and indirectly improved health outcomes. Yet research to date is mixed on who—among both patients and clinicians—is using secure messaging. Objective Using data from two large nationally representative cross-sectional surveys, this study aimed to compare the prevalence of secure messaging use among patients and their access to the functionality through their physicians, and to explore the clinical practice and physician characteristics and patient sociodemographic characteristics associated with the use of secure messaging. Methods We conducted regression analyses to identity statistical associations between self-reported secure messaging use and access, and the patient, practice, and physician characteristics from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) and the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS). The NHIS data collected between 2013 and 2018, with approximately 150,000 adult individuals, were used to evaluate patient characteristics associated with email communication with clinicians. The NAMCS data included 7340 physicians who reported on secure messaging use between 2013 and 2016 and provided context on physician specialty, use of certified health information technology (IT), and practice size and ownership associated with secure messaging access and use. Results By 2016, two-thirds of ambulatory care visits were conducted by a physician who reported using secure messaging, up from 40.70% in 2013. The percentage of US residents who reported sending an email to their clinician, however, only increased from 7.22% to 16.67% between 2013 and 2018. We observed a strong positive association between certified health IT use and secure messaging use (odds ratio [OR] 11.46, 95% CI 7.55-17.39). Individuals who were black, had lower levels of education, had Medicaid or other public payer insurance, or those who were uninsured had reduced odds for using email to communicate with clinicians. No differences were observed in secure messaging use based on physician specialty, but significant differences were observed by practice size (OR 0.46, 95% CI 0.35-0.60 in solo practices vs nonsolo practices) and practice ownership (P<.001 for the different categories). Conclusions This study is the first to use two large nationally representative surveys to produce longitudinal estimates on the access and use of patient-clinician email communication in the United States. The survey findings complement each other: one provides the patient perspective of their use and the other indicates potential patient access to secure messaging based on the use of the functionality by the physicians providing treatment. This study provides nationally representative data on the characteristics of patients and physicians who have access to and are using secure messaging. This information can be used to target interventions to promote adoption and use of secure messaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dawn M Heisey-Grove
- Department of Clinical Quality and Informatics, Health Technical Center, MITRE Corporation, McLean, VA, United States
| | - Henry J Carretta
- College of Medicine, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, United States
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24
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van Eenbergen MC, Vromans RD, Tick LW, Vreugdenhil G, Krahmer EJ, Mols F, van de Poll-Franse LV. Comparing cancer survivors in population-based samples with those in online cancer communities: Identifying differences in internet use and information needs (Preprint). JMIR Cancer 2020; 8:e19379. [PMID: 35258460 PMCID: PMC8941444 DOI: 10.2196/19379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2020] [Revised: 10/07/2020] [Accepted: 01/25/2022] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Most Western countries have websites that provide information on cancer and the opportunity to participate in online cancer communities (OCCs). The number of patients with cancer that participate in these OCCs is growing. These patients are relatively easy to approach for research purposes. Objective The objective of this study is to determine the differences and similarities between survivors of cancer in population-based samples and survivors participating in OCCs who use the internet in relation to their illness. Methods In 2017, we drew a sample of 539 population-based patients and 531 OCC patients. The population-based patients were sent a paper-based questionnaire, and the OCC patients were sent the same questionnaire on the web. In the questionnaire, we asked patients about their sociodemographics, internet use, sources of information, media use, and wishes regarding future internet use for health care–related purposes, and the effect of internet use on their health care consumption. Results The response rate of population-based internet users was 47% (233/496), and that of the OCC group was 40.3% (214/531). The OCC group had a significantly higher education level (P<.001), was younger (P<.001), had more survivors that were employed (P<.001), and attached greater importance to the internet (171/214, 79.9% vs 126/233, 54.1%; P<.001) and fellow survivors (107/214, 50% vs 60/233, 25.8%; P<.001). Compared with the population-based group, the OCC group reported more intensive internet use immediately after diagnosis, during treatment, and during follow-up (P<.001 in each case). There were similarities in terms of the relative importance that survivors attach to the various sources of information, the topics on which they seek information, and their wishes for future eHealth possibilities. The OCC group reported a greater need to participate in a web-based class or chat with others (92/214, 43% vs 44/233, 18.9%). Conclusions We conclude that survivors who are members of an OCC are not representative of survivors of cancer in general. There are significant differences in sociodemographic characteristics, internet use during their treatment journey, internet search frequency during their cancer journey, and participation wishes. Using web-based information and communication can support shared decision-making and may facilitate the active participation of patients during their treatment. For research purposes, it is important to take the bias in OCC groups into account.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mies C van Eenbergen
- Department of Research, Netherlands Comprehensive Cancer Organisation (IKNL), Utrecht, Netherlands
- Department of Communication and Cognition, Tilburg University, Tilburg, Netherlands
| | - Ruben D Vromans
- Department of Communication and Cognition, Tilburg University, Tilburg, Netherlands
| | - Lidwine W Tick
- Department of Medical Oncology, Maxima Medical Center, Veldhoven, Netherlands
| | - Gerard Vreugdenhil
- Department of Medical Oncology, Maxima Medical Center, Veldhoven, Netherlands
| | - Emiel J Krahmer
- Department of Communication and Cognition, Tilburg University, Tilburg, Netherlands
| | - Floortje Mols
- Department of Research, Netherlands Comprehensive Cancer Organisation (IKNL), Utrecht, Netherlands
- Department of Medical and Clinical Psychology, Tilburg University, Tilburg, Netherlands
| | - Lonneke V van de Poll-Franse
- Department of Research, Netherlands Comprehensive Cancer Organisation (IKNL), Utrecht, Netherlands
- Department of Medical and Clinical Psychology, Tilburg University, Tilburg, Netherlands
- Division of Psychosocial Research & Epidemiology, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, Netherlands
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25
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Lieu TA, Altschuler A, Weiner JZ, East JA, Moeller MF, Prausnitz S, Reed ME, Warton EM, Goler N, Awsare S. Primary Care Physicians' Experiences With and Strategies for Managing Electronic Messages. JAMA Netw Open 2019; 2:e1918287. [PMID: 31880798 PMCID: PMC6991215 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2019.18287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE The increasing use of electronic communications has enhanced access to physicians for patients and clinical staff. Primary care physicians (PCPs) have anecdotally identified electronic inbox management as a new source of work-related stress. OBJECTIVES To describe PCPs' experiences managing their electronic inboxes and to characterize the array of management strategies developed by individual physicians and practice groups. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS This qualitative study was conducted in 8 medical centers of a large group practice with more than 4 million patients in diverse settings and a mature electronic health record. The group encourages patients to use portal secure messaging to enhance access to their physicians and the care experience. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 24 internists and family medicine physicians identified via snowball sampling. Interviews were conducted July through November 2018. Data analysis was conducted between November 2018 and April 2019. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Audio recorded interviews were transcribed and analyzed using thematic analysis to identify major themes and subthemes. RESULTS The 24 participants (12 women [50.0%]; mean [SD] age, 45.5 [6.5] years), including 9 department chiefs and 15 PCPs, had a mean (SD) of 16.8 (7.8) years since medical school graduation. Participants described substantial changes in medical practice due to electronic communication, including perceived patient expectations to receive rapid responses to portal secure messages. They described portal secure messaging as useful for building relationships with patients, but also reported that electronic message management has created new stressors, including erosion of work-life boundaries and anxiety associated with unlimited inbox volume. Individual PCPs used a diverse array of strategies, including multitasking during and outside work and delegating to medical assistants. Chiefs described group-level strategies, including reserving clinic time for inbox management, coverage systems for vacation and sick days, physician-to-physician training, and interdisciplinary teams to share messaging work. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Individual physicians and local practice groups have developed a wide array of strategies for electronic inbox management. The volume of electronic messages and PCPs' perceptions that patients expect rapid responses have created new stressors in primary care practice. Medical groups and health systems can support PCPs by facilitating knowledge transfer among physicians about inbox management strategies and further developing team structures for inbox coverage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tracy A. Lieu
- Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Oakland
- The Permanente Medical Group, Oakland, California
| | - Andrea Altschuler
- Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Oakland
| | - Jonathan Z. Weiner
- Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Oakland
- The Permanente Medical Group, Oakland, California
| | - Jeffrey A. East
- The Permanente Medical Group, Oakland, California
- Department of Adult and Family Medicine, Kaiser Permanente Richmond, Richmond, California
| | - Mark F. Moeller
- The Permanente Medical Group, Oakland, California
- Department of Adult and Family Medicine, Kaiser Permanente Napa, Napa, California
| | | | - Mary E. Reed
- Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Oakland
| | | | - Nancy Goler
- The Permanente Medical Group, Oakland, California
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26
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Jiang S. How Does Online Patient-Provider Communication Heal? Examining the Role of Patient Satisfaction and Communication Experience in China. HEALTH COMMUNICATION 2019; 34:1637-1644. [PMID: 30198772 DOI: 10.1080/10410236.2018.1517634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
China is facing the problem of having health care that is difficult to access. Online patient-provider communication (OPPC) may bring a new option to deliver health services. However, online communication with doctors is still novel to many people in China. Little research has been conducted to examine how OPPC could improve health outcomes. With an integrated model that incorporates social cognitive theory into the three-stage model of health promotion using interactive media, this study tested the social mechanism underlying the impact of OPPC. Results indicated that self-efficacy, behavioral capability, and outcome expectation positively predicted OPPC at Stage 1, which in turn increased patient satisfaction at Stage 2, which finally improved three types of health outcomes (general, emotional, and physical) at Stage 3. In addition, quality of users' experience in OPPC positively moderated this mediation pathway. Theoretical and practical implications of this study were also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaohai Jiang
- Department of Communications and New Media, National University of Singapore
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27
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Senft N, Butler E, Everson J. Growing Disparities in Patient-Provider Messaging: Trend Analysis Before and After Supportive Policy. J Med Internet Res 2019; 21:e14976. [PMID: 31593539 PMCID: PMC6803888 DOI: 10.2196/14976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2019] [Revised: 08/13/2019] [Accepted: 08/13/2019] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Public policy introduced since 2011 has supported provider adoption of electronic medical records (EMRs) and patient-provider messaging, primarily through financial incentives. It is unclear how disparities in patients' use of incentivized electronic health (eHealth) tools, like patient-provider messaging, have changed over time relative to disparities in use of eHealth tools that were not directly incentivized. OBJECTIVE This study examines trends in eHealth disparities before and after the introduction of US federal financial incentives. We compare rates of patient-provider messaging, which was directly incentivized, with rates of looking for health information on the Web, which was not directly incentivized. METHODS We used nationally representative Health Information National Trends Survey data from 2003 to 2018 (N=37,300) to describe disparities in patient-provider messaging and looking for health information on the Web. We first reported the percentage of individuals across education and racial and ethnic groups who reported using these tools in each survey year and compared changes in unadjusted disparities during preincentive (2003-2011) and postincentive (2011-2018) periods. Using multivariable linear probability models, we then examined adjusted effects of education and race and ethnicity in 3 periods-preincentive (2003-2005), early incentive (2011-2013), and postincentive (2017-2018)-controlling for sociodemographic and health factors. In the postincentive period, an additional model tested whether internet adoption, provider access, or providers' use of EMRs explained disparities. RESULTS From 2003 to 2018, overall rates of provider messaging increased from 4% to 36%. The gap in provider messaging between the highest and lowest education groups increased by 10 percentage points preincentive (P<.001) and 22 additional points postincentive (P<.001). The gap between Hispanics and non-Hispanic whites increased by 3.2 points preincentive (P=.42) and 11 additional points postincentive (P=.01). Trends for blacks resembled those for Hispanics, whereas trends for Asians resembled those for non-Hispanic whites. In contrast, education-based disparities in looking for health information on the Web (which was not directly incentivized) did not significantly change in preincentive or postincentive periods, whereas racial disparities narrowed by 15 percentage points preincentive (P=.008) and did not significantly change postincentive. After adjusting for other sociodemographic and health factors, observed associations were similar to unadjusted associations, though smaller in magnitude. Including internet adoption, provider access, and providers' use of EMRs in the postincentive model attenuated, but did not eliminate, education-based disparities in provider messaging and looking for health information on the Web. Racial and ethnic disparities were no longer statistically significant in adjusted models. CONCLUSIONS Disparities in provider messaging widened over time, particularly following federal financial incentives. Meanwhile, disparities in looking for health information on the Web remained stable or narrowed. Incentives may have disproportionately benefited socioeconomically advantaged groups. Future policy could address disparities by incentivizing providers treating these populations to adopt messaging capabilities and encouraging patients' use of messaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Senft
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Evan Butler
- Department of Health Policy, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Jordan Everson
- Department of Health Policy, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, United States
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28
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Affiliation(s)
- Tracy A Lieu
- Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Oakland.,The Permanente Medical Group, Oakland, California
| | - Gary L Freed
- Division of General Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics and Communicable Diseases, University of Michigan Health Systems, Ann Arbor.,Child Health Evaluation and Research Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
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Tarver WL, Robb BW, Haggstrom DA. Usefulness and Usability of a Personal Health Record and Survivorship Care Plan for Colorectal Cancer Survivors: Survey Study. JMIR Cancer 2019; 5:e10692. [PMID: 31432780 PMCID: PMC6719487 DOI: 10.2196/10692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2018] [Revised: 01/30/2019] [Accepted: 02/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Background As a result of improvements in cancer screening, treatment, and supportive care, nearly two-thirds of individuals diagnosed with colorectal cancer (CRC) live for 5 years after diagnosis. An ever-increasing population of CRC survivors creates a need for effective survivorship care to help manage and mitigate the impact of CRC and its treatment. Personal health records (PHRs) and survivorship care plans provide a means of supporting the long-term care of cancer survivors. Objective The purpose of this study is to characterize the usefulness of a CRC PHR and survivorship care plan and to describe the usability of these technologies in a population of CRC survivors. To our knowledge, this is the first study to assess a PHR and survivorship care plan specifically targeting CRC survivors. Methods Twenty-two patients with CRC were recruited from surgery clinics of an academic medical center and Veterans Affairs hospital in Indianapolis and provided access to an online Colorectal Cancer Survivor’s Personal Health Record (CRCS-PHR). Survey data were collected to characterize the usefulness of the CRCS-PHR and describe its usability in a population of CRC survivors. CRC survivors were surveyed 6 months after being provided online access. Means and proportions were used to describe the usefulness and ease of using the CRC website. Open-ended questions were qualitatively coded using the constant comparative method. Results CRC survivors perceived features related to their health care (ie, summary of cancer treatment history, follow-up care schedule, description of side effects, and list of community resources) to be more useful than communication features (ie, creating online relationships with family members or caregivers, communicating with doctor, and secure messages). CRC survivors typically described utilizing traditional channels (eg, via telephone or in person) to communicate with their health care provider. Participants had overall positive perceptions with respect to ease of use and overall satisfaction. Major challenges experienced by participants included barriers to system log-in, lack of computer literacy or experience, and difficulty entering their patient information. Conclusions For CRC, survivors may find the greater value in a PHR’s medical content than the communication functions, which they have available elsewhere. These findings regarding the usefulness and usability of a PHR for the management of CRC survivorship provide valuable insights into how best to tailor these technologies to patients’ needs. These findings can inform future design and development of PHRs for purposes of both cancer and chronic disease management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Will L Tarver
- VA Health Services Research and Development, Center for Health Information & Communication, Richard L Roudebush VA Medical Center, Indianapolis, IN, United States.,Department of Health Policy & Management, Fairbanks School of Public Health, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN, United States
| | - Bruce W Robb
- Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN, United States
| | - David A Haggstrom
- VA Health Services Research and Development, Center for Health Information & Communication, Richard L Roudebush VA Medical Center, Indianapolis, IN, United States.,Division of General Internal Medicine and Geriatrics, School of Medicine, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN, United States.,Center for Health Services Research, Regenstrief Institute, Indianapolis, IN, United States
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30
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Social media, advertising, and internet use among general and bariatric surgeons. Surg Endosc 2019; 34:1634-1640. [DOI: 10.1007/s00464-019-06933-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2019] [Accepted: 06/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
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Hansen AH, Claudi T, Årsand E. Use of Electronic Health and Its Impact on Doctor-Visiting Decisions Among People With Diabetes: Cross-Sectional Study. J Med Internet Res 2019; 21:e13678. [PMID: 31025957 PMCID: PMC6658259 DOI: 10.2196/13678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2019] [Revised: 04/08/2019] [Accepted: 04/08/2019] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Despite the increasing prevalence of diabetes and increasing use of electronic health (eHealth) among people with diabetes, little is known about the association between the use of eHealth and the use of provider-based health services. Objective The objective of this study was to investigate whether the use of eHealth might change patients’ decisions regarding doctor-seeking behavior and whether information acquired from the internet was discussed with a doctor. Methods We used email survey data collected in 2018 from members of the Norwegian Diabetes Association (aged 18 to 89 years) diagnosed with diabetes. Using logistic regressions, we studied patients’ internet-triggered changes in decisions regarding doctor visits; whether they discussed information from the internet with a doctor; and whether these topics were associated with gender, age, education, self-rated health, and self-reported anxiety/depression. Results Among the 895 informants, 75.4% (645/856) had never made an internet-triggered change of decision in any direction regarding visiting a doctor, whereas 16.4% (41/859) had decided to visit and 17.3% (148/856) had decided not to visit. The probability of changing decisions decreased with higher age and increased with the severity of self-reported anxiety/depression. Around half of the study participants (448/858, 52.2%) had never discussed information from the internet with a doctor. The probability of discussing internet information with a doctor was higher for those in bad/very bad self-rated health (odds ratio 2.12, CI 1.15-3.90) and for those with moderate self-reported anxiety/depression (odds ratio 2.30, CI 1.30-4.10). Conclusions Our findings suggest that using eHealth has a significant impact on doctor-visiting decisions among people with diabetes, especially among people aged 18 to 39 years and among those reporting anxiety/depression. It is of great importance that the information posted is of high quality and that the large differences between internet-users regarding age as well as mental and somatic health status are taken into account. More research is needed to confirm and further explore the findings of this study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Helen Hansen
- Centre for Quality Improvement and Development, University Hospital of North Norway, Tromsø, Norway.,Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, UiT-The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Tor Claudi
- Department of Medicine, Nordland Hospital, Bodø, Norway
| | - Eirik Årsand
- Norwegian Centre for E-health Research, University Hospital of North Norway, Tromsø, Norway.,Department of Clinical Medicine, UiT-The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
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McAlearney AS, Fareed N, Gaughan A, MacEwan SR, Volney J, Sieck CJ. Empowering Patients during Hospitalization: Perspectives on Inpatient Portal Use. Appl Clin Inform 2019; 10:103-112. [PMID: 30759491 DOI: 10.1055/s-0039-1677722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Patients have demonstrated an eagerness to use portals to access their health information and connect with care providers. While outpatient portals have been extensively studied, there is a recognized need for research that examines inpatient portals. OBJECTIVE We conducted this study to improve our understanding about the role of a portal in the context of inpatient care. Our study focused on a large sample of the general adult inpatient population and obtained perspectives from both patients and care team members about inpatient portal use. METHODS We interviewed patients (n = 120) who used an inpatient portal during their hospitalization at 15 days or 6 months after discharge to learn about their portal use. We also interviewed care team members (n = 331) 4 weeks, 6 months, and 12 months after inpatient portal implementation to collect information about their ongoing perspectives about patients' use of the portal. RESULTS The perspectives of patients and care team members generally converged on their views of the inpatient portal. Three features-(1) ordering meals, (2) looking up health information, and (3) viewing the care team-were most commonly used; the secure messaging feature was less commonly used and of some concern to care team members. The inpatient portal benefited patients in four main ways: (1) promoted independence, (2) reduced anxiety, (3) informed families, and (4) increased empowerment. CONCLUSION Inpatient portals are recognized as a tool that can enhance the delivery of patient-centered care. In addition to empowering patients by increasing their sense of control, inpatient portals can support family members and caregivers throughout the hospital stay. Given the consistency of perspectives about portal use across patients and care team members, our findings suggest that inpatient portals may facilitate shifts in organizational culture that increase the patient centeredness of care and improve patient experience in the hospital context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ann Scheck McAlearney
- Department of Family Medicine, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, United States.,CATALYST, Center for the Advancement of Team Science, Analytics, and Systems Thinking, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, United States.,Department of Biomedical Informatics, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, United States.,Division of Health Services Management and Policy, College of Public Health, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, United States
| | - Naleef Fareed
- CATALYST, Center for the Advancement of Team Science, Analytics, and Systems Thinking, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, United States.,Department of Biomedical Informatics, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, United States
| | - Alice Gaughan
- CATALYST, Center for the Advancement of Team Science, Analytics, and Systems Thinking, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, United States
| | - Sarah R MacEwan
- CATALYST, Center for the Advancement of Team Science, Analytics, and Systems Thinking, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, United States
| | - Jaclyn Volney
- CATALYST, Center for the Advancement of Team Science, Analytics, and Systems Thinking, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, United States
| | - Cynthia J Sieck
- Department of Family Medicine, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, United States.,CATALYST, Center for the Advancement of Team Science, Analytics, and Systems Thinking, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, United States
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Jiang S, Hong YA, Liu PL. Trends of online patient-provider communication among cancer survivors from 2008 to 2017: a digital divide perspective. J Cancer Surviv 2019; 13:197-204. [DOI: 10.1007/s11764-019-00742-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2019] [Accepted: 02/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
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The Internet as a Source of Health Information and Services. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2019; 1211:1-16. [PMID: 31273574 DOI: 10.1007/5584_2019_396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
The Internet is increasingly used for health-related purposes and evolves with the ever-changing needs of patients. The aim of this study was to assess the level of reliance on the Internet as a health information source, to examine which online communication activities are the most common for health purposes, and to determine the attitudes and needs of patients in this area and the factors affecting its use. A total of 1000 adults were selected from the Polish population by random sampling. The survey was administered by the Computer-Assisted Telephone Interview (CATI). The study concluded that 76.9% of the participants used the Internet for health purposes, among whom 72.6% of active and 27.4% of passive users were distinguished. The role of the Internet as a source of health information has increased, which corresponds to a growing interest in online health services. The majority of individuals searching for health information in the Internet lived in urban areas, had a high level of education, and was professionally active. We conclude that the increased interest in the use of the Internet related to health determines the direction in which e-health should be developed in the future.
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Asan O, Crotty B, Nagavally S, Egede LE. Patient Centered Communication and E-Health Information Exchange Patterns: Findings From a National Cross-Sectional Survey. IEEE JOURNAL OF TRANSLATIONAL ENGINEERING IN HEALTH AND MEDICINE-JTEHM 2018; 7:2200107. [PMID: 30588412 PMCID: PMC6302924 DOI: 10.1109/jtehm.2018.2884925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2018] [Revised: 09/10/2018] [Accepted: 11/19/2018] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
This paper aimed to determine whether there was a connection between patient’s perception of communication with their doctors in the visit and their use of online health information exchange using a nationally representative survey. We used the data from the Health Information National Trends survey pooled HINTS4 Cycle 4 data and assessed outcomes using logistic regression modeling composite communication scores as a continuous variable. We weighted participants to create population-level estimates. We adjusted for age, gender, race, and census region. The 3677 patients were included in the analysis who had an outpatient visit within the previous 12 months. In unadjusted analysis and analysis adjusted for demographic factors, patients who experienced higher communication scores were more likely to use online health information exchange with their providers. In unadjusted analysis, patients had 0.04 higher odds of interest in receiving appointment reminders from health care providers electronically (OR = 1.04 and \documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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}{}$p=0.01$
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}{}$p=0.04$
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}{}$p< 0.05$
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}{}$p=0.02$
\end{document}), and 4% more likely to exchange information about lifestyle behaviors (\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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}{}$p=0.02$
\end{document}). Findings suggest that the quality of the communication in the visit might increase use of informatics tool to exchange health information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Onur Asan
- School of Systems and EnterprisesStevens Institute of TechnologyHobokenNJ07030USA
| | - Bradley Crotty
- Collaborative for Healthcare Delivery Science, Center for Advancing Population ScienceMedical College of WisconsinMilwaukeeWI53226USA
| | - Sneha Nagavally
- Center for Advancing Population ScienceMedical College of WisconsinMilwaukeeWI53226USA
| | - Leonard E Egede
- Center for Advancing Population ScienceMedical College of WisconsinMilwaukeeWI53226USA
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Hansen AH, Broz J, Claudi T, Årsand E. Relations Between the Use of Electronic Health and the Use of General Practitioner and Somatic Specialist Visits in Patients With Type 1 Diabetes: Cross-Sectional Study. J Med Internet Res 2018; 20:e11322. [PMID: 30404766 PMCID: PMC6249507 DOI: 10.2196/11322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2018] [Revised: 09/11/2018] [Accepted: 09/29/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The prevalence of diabetes and the use of electronic health (eHealth) are increasing. People with diabetes need frequent monitoring and follow-up of health parameters, and eHealth services can be of great value. However, little is known about the association between the use of eHealth and provider-based health care services among people with diabetes. OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to investigate the use of 4 different eHealth platforms (apps, search engines, video services, and social media sites) and associations with the use of provider-based health care visits among people diagnosed with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). METHODS We used email survey data collected from 1250 members of the Norwegian Diabetes Association (aged 18 to 89 years) in 2018. Eligible for analyses were the 523 respondents with T1DM. Using descriptive statistics, we estimated the use of eHealth and the use of general practitioners (GPs) and somatic specialist outpatient services. By logistic regressions, we studied the associations between the use of these provider-based health services and the use of eHealth, adjusted for gender, age, education, and self-rated health. RESULTS Of the sample of 523 people with T1DM, 90.7% (441/486) had visited a GP once or more, and 61.0% (289/474) had visited specialist services during the previous year. Internet search engines (such as Google) were used for health purposes sometimes or often by 84.0% (431/513), apps by 55.4% (285/514), social media (such as Facebook) by 45.2% (232/513), and video services (such as YouTube) by 23.3% (118/506). Participants aged from 18 to 39 years used all forms of eHealth more than people aged 40 years and older, with the exception of social media. The use of search engines was positively associated with the use of somatic specialist services (odds ratio 2.43, 95% CI 1.33-4.45). GP visits were not associated with any kind of eHealth use. CONCLUSIONS eHealth services are now widely used for health support and health information by people with T1DM, primarily in the form of search engines but often in the form of apps and social media as well. We found a positive association between the use of search engines and specialist visits and that people with T1DM are frequent users of eHealth, GPs, and specialist services. We found no evidence that eHealth reduces the use of provider-based health care; these services seem to be additional rather than alternative. Future research should focus on how health care services can meet and adapt to the high prevalence of eHealth use. Our results also indicate that many patients with T1DM do not visit specialist clinics once a year as recommended. This raises questions about collaboration in health care services and needs to be followed up in future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Helen Hansen
- Centre for Quality Improvement and Development, University Hospital of North Norway, Tromsø, Norway.,Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, UiT - The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Jan Broz
- Department of Internal Medicine, Second Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Tor Claudi
- Medical Department, Nordland Hospital, Bodø, Norway
| | - Eirik Årsand
- Norwegian Centre for E-health Research, University Hospital of North Norway, Tromsø, Norway.,Department of Clinical Medicine, UiT - The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
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Abstract
Background: Patient portals and other Internet-based technologies have been increasingly used to improve cancer care coordination. Patient portals may introduce special considerations in oncology populations where longitudinal outpatient care is often more intensive than in most other specialties. Methods: This article, which is based upon bibliographic searches in PubMed, reviews the literature on web portal use by cancer patients. Articles published in English from 2000 to August 2018 were identified using the following MeSH search terms and Boolean algebra commands: web portal AND cancer. Information obtained from bibliographic searches (title and topic of article, information in abstract, and keywords) was used to determine whether to retain each article identified in this way. Results: A total of 263 article citations were identified in the bibliographic searches. Of these, 10 met the eligibility criteria. A variety of study designs were used including focus groups, usability testing, in-person interviews, questionnaire surveys, retrospective cohort, and non-randomized trial. Cancer patients had reached modest levels of portal use. Increased portal use has been associated with younger age, white race, and higher socioeconomic status. Most cancer patients used portals to look up testing results and provide notes, but had difficulty in interpreting the results appropriately. Conclusions: Our study adds to the growing evidence that patient portals play a significant role in promoting self-management in cancer survivors. Additional studies are needed to determine factors influencing portal use, so effective interventions can be developed to enhance portal use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven S Coughlin
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA.,Research Service, Charlie Norwood Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Augusta, GA
| | - Lee Caplan
- Morehouse College of Medicine, Department of Community Health and Preventive Medicine, Atlanta, GA
| | - Lufei Young
- College of Nursing, Augusta University, Augusta, GA
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