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Patient Access to U.S. Physicians Who Conduct Internet or E-mail Consults

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Background

E-mail communication has the potential to improve communication between patients and doctors.

Objective

The objective of the study is to describe the access of patients to physicians who conduct e-mail consults.

Methods

We analyzed data from the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS), a nationally representative cross-sectional survey of office-based physician visits, in 2001, 2002, and 2003. The main outcome measure was the percentage of visits to a provider who reported doing internet or e-mail consults.

Results

There was fewer than 1 in 10 outpatient visits in 2001 (9.2%) to physicians who reported doing internet or e-mail consults, and this did not increase in 2002 (5.8%) or 2003 (5.5%). Access to these physicians was greater among patients who were male, nonminority, lived in the Western United States, seen for pre-/postoperative care, seen by a primary care provider, and not seen by a nurse during their visit. Access to physicians who conducted internet or e-mail consults was independent of other patient (e.g., chronic conditions), provider (e.g., office setting), and visit (e.g., medications prescribed) characteristics.

Conclusions

Access to physicians who do internet or e-mail consults is generally low and did not increase between 2001 and 2003, despite growth in internet access and in other internet-related activities.

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Correspondence to Christopher N. Sciamanna MD, MPH.

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Sciamanna, C.N., Rogers, M.L., Shenassa, E.D. et al. Patient Access to U.S. Physicians Who Conduct Internet or E-mail Consults. J GEN INTERN MED 22, 378–381 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11606-006-0076-1

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