Email for clinical communication between healthcare professionals

Area of Science:

• Health Informatics
• Clinical Communication
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Email is a common communication tool, but its routine use in healthcare, particularly for clinical communication between professionals, is not established.
• The effects of using email for two-way clinical communication among healthcare professionals are largely unknown.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of healthcare professionals using email for clinical information exchange.
• Assess effects on healthcare professional and patient outcomes, health service performance, efficiency, and acceptability compared to other communication methods.

Main Methods:

• Searched multiple databases (Cochrane, MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, ERIC) and grey literature for relevant studies up to January 2010.
• Included randomized controlled trials, quasi-randomized trials, controlled before and after studies, and interrupted time series studies.
• Two authors independently assessed study inclusion, risk of bias, and extracted data.

Main Results:

• One randomized controlled trial (327 patients, 159 providers) was included, comparing email reminders with usual care for osteoporosis treatment.
• Email reminders significantly increased guideline-recommended actions by healthcare professionals.
• Evidence on patient behavior impact was inconclusive; one measure showed positive impact on calcium intake, others showed no difference. Primary service outcomes and harms were not assessed.

Conclusions:

• The single included study provides insufficient evidence to guide clinical practice regarding email use for professional communication.
• Future research requires high-quality designs, considering technological advancements, intervention complexity, and costs.