Technology-assisted patient access to clinical information: an evaluation framework for blue button

Area of Science:

• Health Informatics
• Health Services Research
• Patient Engagement Technologies

Background:

• Patient access to clinical information enhances healthcare transparency and patient-provider interactions.
• Technology is increasingly augmenting patient access to personal health data.
• Blue Button is a key technology facilitating this access via patient portals.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a framework for evaluating technology-assisted patient access to clinical information.
• To assess the impact on stakeholder experiences, care processes, and health outcomes.
• To guide future research and evaluation in this domain.

Main Methods:

• A case study approach was used, focusing on the Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) Blue Button implementation.
• Data collection involved key informant interviews, document review, and an environmental scan.
• Collaboration with researchers, clinicians, and operational partners ensured comprehensive assessment.

Main Results:

• Technology-assisted access, exemplified by Blue Button, signifies a major advancement for VA patients and the organization.
• Evaluations must consider care processes and outcomes.
• Key evaluation factors include defining constructs, patient population characteristics, clinical context, and potential unintended consequences.

Conclusions:

• The developed framework serves as a roadmap for future research and evaluation of technology-assisted patient access to health information.
• Recommendations are provided to guide subsequent studies and implementation efforts.
• Further research is needed to fully understand the multifaceted impacts of these technologies.