Differences in Patient Secure Message Volume Among Otolaryngologists: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Health Informatics
• Medical Practice Management

Background:

• Physician workload is increasingly impacted by digital communication.
• Understanding the sources and distribution of inbox tasks is crucial for practice efficiency.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the differences in inbox and secure message burden among otolaryngologists.
• To investigate how these burdens vary by demographic factors and subspecialty over a four-year period.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective cohort study analyzed inbox data from January 2019 to December 2022.
• Otolaryngologists were categorized by practice area and gender.
• Inbox tasks, secure messages, and clinical encounters were compared using statistical tests.

Main Results:

• Otolaryngologists handle an average of 143.5 inbox tasks monthly, with 67.7% being secure messages.
• The ratio of secure messages per clinical encounter varied significantly by subspecialty, notably higher in oncology.
• No significant differences in inbox burden were found based on gender or years in practice.

Conclusions:

• Patient secure messages are the primary driver of inbox burden in otolaryngology.
• Head and neck oncologists experience a disproportionately high inbox burden.
• Implementing support systems for inbox management is recommended to balance clinical and non-clinical duties.