A Mixed-Methods Study of Patient-Provider E-Mail Content in a Safety-Net Setting

J Health Commun. 2016;21(1):85-91. doi: 10.1080/10810730.2015.1033118. Epub 2015 Sep 2.

Abstract

To explore the content of patient-provider e-mails in a safety-net primary care clinic, we conducted a content analysis using inductive and deductive coding of e-mail exchanges (n = 31) collected from January through November 2013. Participants were English-speaking adult patients with a chronic condition (or their caregivers) cared for at a single publicly funded general internal medicine clinic and their primary care providers (attending general internist physicians, clinical fellows, internal medicine residents, and nurse practitioners). All e-mails were nonurgent. Patients included a medical update in 19% of all e-mails. Patients requested action in 77% of e-mails, and the most common requests overall were for action regarding medications or treatment (29%). Requests for information were less common (45% of e-mails). Patient requests (n = 56) were resolved in 84% of e-mail exchanges, resulting in 63 actions. These results show that patients in safety-net clinics are capable of safely and effectively using electronic messaging for between-visit communication with providers. Safety-net systems should implement electronic communications tools as soon as possible to increase health care access and enhance patients' involvement in their care.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Chronic Disease
  • Electronic Mail / statistics & numerical data*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Observation
  • Physician-Patient Relations*
  • Poverty
  • Primary Health Care*
  • Qualitative Research
  • Safety-net Providers*