Patient preference for being informed of their DXA scan results

Evidence suggests that patients diagnosed with osteoporosis are often undertreated. One potential solution to undertreatment is to enhance patient involvement in their osteoporosis care (a.k.a. patient activation) by having the dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) center directly provide patients with their test results and educational material. However, little is known about patient interest in such an intervention. Consecutive patients presenting to an academic medical center DXA scanning unit were given a questionnaire to assess their preferences for being informed of their test results and interest in receiving their results plus educational material by mail from the testing center. Two hundred and two (202) of 206 (98%) of patients agreed to complete the survey. Fifty-one percent of participants preferred receiving their results by mail directly from the DXA center, followed by phone call (28%) and office visit (11%). Overall, 90% of patients reported interest in receiving results and educational material by mail. Younger patients were more interested in receiving their results by mail when compared with older patients, but this difference did not reach statistical significance (odds ratio [OR] = 2.40: 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.91-6.31, p = 0.14). Patients undergoing DXA scanning were interested in receiving their scan results and educational material directly from the testing center. This might represent an effective intervention for improving care of patients with osteoporosis.