Results of a content analysis of electronic messages (email) sent between patients and their physicians.
Results of a content analysis of electronic messages (email) sent between patients and their physicians.
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DOI：
10.1186/1472-6947-3-11
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发表时间：
2003-10-01
影响因子：
3.5
通讯作者：
Sittig, Dean F
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Sittig, Dean F
背景：电子邮件是自电话以来发展人际关系的最重要的机制。这项研究的目的是提供深入了解患者如何使用电子邮件来请求信息或服务，从他们的healthcare providers.METHODS：IRB批准后，我们审查了所有的电子邮件（电子邮件）消息之间发送的5个研究临床医生和他们的患者在一个月的时间。我们使用前面描述的患者请求分类法对消息中包含的所有患者请求进行分类。我们测量的消息量，频率，长度和响应时间，所有的消息发送和接收这些clinics.RESULTS：平均5名医生参与这项研究，每月收到40条消息，每个包含约139个字。医生回复的平均字数为39个字，59.4%的回复在24小时内发出。患者平均每条消息有1个请求。关于药物或治疗、特定症状或疾病的信息请求以及关于药物或治疗的行动请求占所有请求的75%。医生满足了所有这些要求的80.2%。这些数据从传统的办公室访问获得的比较后，它出现的潜在存在的电子邮件的遭遇，以取代一定比例的办公室visits.CONCLUSION：电子邮件是一个重要的方法，医生和患者进行沟通，并进一步发展他们的关系。虽然许多医生担心来自患者的信息数量或长度会使他们不堪重负，但没有证据支持这一点。事实上，有证据表明，许多病人的要求，以前通过电话或在办公室访问，可以通过电子邮件解决，从而可能节省病人和医生的时间。
BACKGROUND: Email is the most important mechanism introduced since the telephone for developing interpersonal relationships. This study was designed to provide insight into how patients are using email to request information or services from their healthcare providers.METHODS: Following IRB approval, we reviewed all electronic mail (e-mail) messages sent between five study clinicians and their patients over a one-month period. We used a previously described taxonomy of patient requests to categorize all patient requests contained in the messages. We measured message volume, frequency, length and response time for all messages sent to and received by these clinicians.RESULTS: On average the 5 physicians involved in this study received 40 messages per month, each containing approximately 139 words. Replies sent by the physicians contained 39 words on average and 59.4% of them were sent within 24 hours. Patients averaged 1 request per message. Requests for information on medications or treatments, specific symptoms or diseases, and requests for actions regarding medications or treatments accounted for 75% of all requests. Physicians fulfilled 80.2% of all these requests. Upon comparison of these data to that obtained from traditional office visits, it appears that the potential exists for email encounters to substitute for some percentage of office visits.CONCLUSION: Electronic messaging is an important method for physicians and patients to communicate and further develop their relationship. While many physicians worry that either the number or length of messages from their patients will overwhelm them, there is no evidence to support this. In fact, the evidence suggests that many patient requests, formerly made over the telephone or during office visits, can be addressed via email thus potentially saving both patients and physicians time.