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	Institution: CLOCKSS  | My Account | E-mail Alerts | Access Rights | Sign In Vol. 3 No. 3, March 1994   Archives  • Online Features Original Contributions  This Article  • References  • Full text PDF  • Send to a friend  • Save in My Folder  • Save to citation manager  • Permissions  Citing Articles  • Citation map  • Citing articles on HighWire  • Citing articles on Web of Science (4)  • Contact me when this article is cited  Related Content  • Similar articles in this journal The Utility of Electronic Mail as a Medium for Patient-Physician Communication Richard A. Neill, MD; Arch G. Mainous III, PhD; Jonathan R. Clark; Michael D. Hagen, MD Arch Fam Med. 1994;3(3):268-271. Abstract Objective To examine patients' knowledge, use, and attitudes regarding electronic mail communication with their family physicians. Design Mail survey. Setting A university-based family practice center. Participants Adult patients (18 years and older) of full-time faculty physicians at a university-based family practice center who had seen their physicians at least once in the 10-month period between July 1, 1992, and April 30, 1993 (N=4094). Subjects were eligible for participation if both they and their physicians had an electronic mail address at the University of Kentucky, Lexington (n=117). Intervention None. Main Outcome Measures Patient-reported knowledge, use, and attitudes regarding the utility of electronic mail as a means of patient-physician communication. Results The response rate to the survey was 74% (n=87). Patient-physician communication via electronic mail was positively perceived by patients for whom electronic mail was accessible Patient-physician communication via electronic mail was perceived to increase speed, convenience, and access to medical care. Electronic mail communication was perceived to be good for simple and nonurgent problems, such as refilling prescriptions, communicating laboratory results, and making appointments. Ninety percent of the patients who had corresponded with their physicians via electronic mail used the medium to discuss a medical problem. Conclusions Although electronic mail is not presently in wide use for patient-physician communication, there is great potential for its widespread acceptance. Author Affiliations From the Department of Family Practice, University of Kentucky, Lexington. Mr Clark is a medical student at the University of Kentucky. THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES Assessment of email communication skills of rheumatology fellows: a pilot study Mittal et al. J Am Med Inform Assoc 2010;17:702-706. ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT   Impact of electronic messaging on the patient-physician interaction Wallwiener et al. J Telemed Telecare 2009;15:243-250. ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT   Enhancing Doctor-Patient Communication Using Email: A Pilot Study Leong et al. J Am Board Fam Med 2005;18:180-188. ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT   A 67-Year-Old Man Who e-Mails His Physician Slack JAMA 2004;292:2255-2261. FULL TEXT   Patient Experiences and Attitudes about Access to a Patient Electronic Health Care Record and Linked Web Messaging Hassol et al. J Am Med Inform Assoc 2004;11:505-513. ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT   Email consultations in health care: 2--acceptability and safe application Car and Sheikh BMJ 2004;329:439-442. FULL TEXT   A Content Analysis of E-mail Communication between Patients and Their Providers: Patients Get the Message White et al. J Am Med Inform Assoc 2004;11:260-267. ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT   Web Messaging: A New Tool for Patient-Physician Communication Liederman and Morefield J Am Med Inform Assoc 2003;10:260-270. ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT   Parent and Physician Attitudes Regarding Electronic Communication in Pediatric Practices Kleiner et al. 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ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT   The Origin, Content, and Workload of E-mail Consultations Borowitz and Wyatt JAMA 1998;280:1321-1324. ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT   Responses to Unsolicited Patient E-mail Requests for Medical Advice on the World Wide Web Eysenbach and Diepgen JAMA 1998;280:1333-1335. ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT   The Electronic House Call Mainous III et al. Arch Fam Med 1998;7:210-210. FULL TEXT   Guide to the Internet: Electronic mail Pallen BMJ 1995;311:1487-1490. FULL TEXT   HOME | CURRENT ISSUE | PAST ISSUES | TOPIC COLLECTIONS | CME | PHYSICIAN JOBS | HELP CONDITIONS OF USE | PRIVACY POLICY | CONTACT US | SITE MAP   © 1994 American Medical Association. All Rights Reserved.