Business
Patients say online service options are limited
■ An occasional snapshot of current facts and trends in medicine.
Quick View. Posted Oct. 9, 2006
A majority of Americans would like to communicate electronically with their physicians, but most report that the option isn't available.
| Which of the following technologies would you like to have access to when seeking care from a doctor or hospital? | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | No | Not sure | ||
| Electronic medical record | 64% | 18% | 19% | |
| 74% | 14% | 13% | ||
| Internet appointment scheduling | 75% | 14% | 11% | |
| Diagnostic test results via e-mail | 67% | 22% | 11% | |
| Home-monitoring device | 57% | 21% | 22% | |
| E-mailed appointment reminders | 77% | 13% | 9% | |
| To what extent do you have access to the following technology? | ||||
| Use | Available but don't use | Not available | Not sure | |
| EMR | 2% | 3% | 73% | 22% |
| 4% | 4% | 73% | 19% | |
| Internet appointment scheduling | 3% | 4% | 75% | 18% |
| Diagnostic test results via e-mail | 2% | 3% | 76% | 19% |
| Home-monitoring device | 2% | 3% | 76% | 19% |
| E-mailed appointment reminders | 4% | 3% | 74% | 19% |
| If you could choose between two doctors, but only one used the following types of information technology in his or her practice, how much would this influence your choice of doctors? | ||||
| A great deal/ To some extent |
Not much/ Not at all |
Not sure | ||
| EMR | 54% | 34% | 12% | |
| 62% | 29% | 9% | ||
According to a Wall Street Journal Online/Harris Interactive Health-Care Poll, 74% of the 2,624 adult respondents said they would like to be able to e-mail their physicians, but 73% said that the service was not available to them. The poll, which was conducted between Sept. 5-7 and released Sept. 22, has a margin of error of 3%.
Note: Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding. Source: Wall Street Journal Online/Harris Interactive Health Care Poll
Copyright © 2006 American Medical Association. All rights reserved.
