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Doctors who are using e-mail with their patients: a qualitative exploration
Madhavi R Patt1, Thomas K Houston, Mollie W Jenckes
1Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Journal of Medical Internet Research
|July 15, 2003
Summary
Physician adoption of email for patient communication is limited, but daily use enhances chronic disease management and care continuity. Further integration into office workflows and clear guidelines are needed for broader implementation.
Area of Science:
- Medical Informatics
- Health Communication
- Physician Workflow Optimization
Background:
- Physician-patient communication via email has potential but faces low adoption rates.
- Understanding current physician experiences with daily email use is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To survey physicians actively using email daily for patient communication.
- To identify their experiences, benefits, and challenges.
Main Methods:
- Qualitative analysis of in-depth phone interviews with 45 physicians.
- Verbatim transcription and independent coding of 642 physician comments.
- Consensus-based adjudication of differing interpretations.
Main Results:
- Email communication positively impacts chronic disease management and care continuity.
- Physicians report increased flexibility in addressing non-urgent patient issues.
- Integration into office processes and personnel management present significant challenges.
- Experiences with email content, efficiency, and confidentiality vary among physicians.
Conclusions:
- Physicians recognize email benefits for a select patient group.
- Key areas for development include identifying optimal clinical uses, office integration, and reimbursement models.
- Addressing these factors is essential for wider adoption of email in medical practices.