Use of email in a family practice setting: opportunities and challenges in patient- and physician-initiated communication

Abstract

Background: Electronic mail (email) has the potential to improve communication between physicians and patients.

Telemedicine in Primary Care

“…(Gaster et al, 2003) Controlled trials have shown that physicians respond to an average of 12-13 emails per week spending 5-10 minutes a day. (Virji et al, 2006) When email users in the general population were asked about their willingness to pay for email communication with their providers, 47% reported that they will not be willing to pay for email communications and 38% were ready to play 5-10 dollars. (Sittig et al, 2001) On the other hand, 42% of patients surveyed in the waiting room of a primary care clinic were willing to pay a small annual fee for this service.…”

“…(Sittig et al, 2001) On the other hand, 42% of patients surveyed in the waiting room of a primary care clinic were willing to pay a small annual fee for this service. (Virji et al, 2006) Physicians had their concerns about the content of email communications. Physicians do not consider emails suitable for investigation of new symptoms or discussion of mental issues.…”

“…In a study about email use among patients of a primary clinic, patients who reported lack of email access were more likely to be Black or Medicaid insured. (Virji et al, 2006) Moreover, email communication has the potential to improve the care and decrease the workload at the clinic if it was used by elderly patients with multiple comorbidities who frequently utilize the health service. Although 52 (1.3%) out of 4059 patients over 65 years of age reported use of email with their community based physicians, 50% expressed enthusiasm about possibility of using it.…”

Patient Use of Email, Facebook, and Physician Websites to Communicate with Physicians: A National Online Survey of Retail Pharmacy Users

“…For example, the American College of Physicians (ACP) states that Be-communication between patients and physicians […] requires discussion and previous agreement before electronic exchange is initiated.^5 Although an estimated 20 % of physicians communicate with their patients by email, anecdotal evidence suggests that many do not engage their patients in discussion about e-communication prior to its occurrence. 6 Patients also appear more interested than their physicians in using online communication for clinical purposes, [7][8][9] perhaps because they face fewer barriers to entry than physicians, who must juggle concerns of institutional guidelines, liability, and the intrusion on their time. [7][8][9] According to the Pew Research Center, close to 90 % of U.S. adults use the Internet, and among these, 72 % visit social media websites like Facebook.…”

“…6 Patients also appear more interested than their physicians in using online communication for clinical purposes, [7][8][9] perhaps because they face fewer barriers to entry than physicians, who must juggle concerns of institutional guidelines, liability, and the intrusion on their time. [7][8][9] According to the Pew Research Center, close to 90 % of U.S. adults use the Internet, and among these, 72 % visit social media websites like Facebook. 10,11 Beyond socializing, users also turn to social media for health information; 12 % of Internet users have reported accessing social media to research health issues.…”