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Related Experiment Videos

[E-mail communication in general practice].

Niels Kristian Kjaer1, Kristian L Jepsen, Steen Ruwald

  • 1Afdeling for Forskning og Laegelig Videreuddannelse, Sønderjyllands Amt, og Almen praksis i Sønderjylland. niels.kjaer@dadlnet.dk

Ugeskrift for Laeger
|November 25, 2005
PubMed
Summary
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Email communication in general practice is a valued tool for doctor-patient relationships but requires structured guidance. Patient barriers like lack of access and awareness limit its use, despite clear recommendations.

Area of Science:

  • General Practice
  • Health Informatics
  • Patient Communication

Background:

  • Investigating the impact of email communication on doctor-patient relationships and workload in general practice.
  • Assessing the integration and effectiveness of digital communication tools in primary care settings.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the influence of email on the doctor/patient relationship.
  • To determine the effect of email communication on general practitioners' workload.
  • To identify barriers and facilitators to email use in primary care.

Main Methods:

  • 12-month registration of email activity across three Danish general practice surgeries.
  • Focus group interviews conducted with both patients and doctors to gather qualitative insights.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Analysis of quantitative data on email volume and qualitative themes related to usability and expectations.

    • Main Results:

    • Practices received 191 emails per 1,000 patients annually, with a user base averaging 47.2 years old.
    • Qualitative data revealed themes including patient needs, expectations, usability, workload impact, and communication barriers.
    • Identified patient-side barriers: lack of computer knowledge/access, unawareness of email availability, and absence of physician invitation.

    Conclusions:

    • Email is a desired and useful communication method in general practice, enhancing patient service when properly managed.
    • Effective email communication necessitates clear guidance, structured protocols, and a pre-existing doctor-patient relationship.
    • Underutilization is linked to patient-specific barriers and a concerning disregard for usage guidelines, even when explicitly acknowledged.