A multicenter, randomized, open study to evaluate the impact of an electronic data capture system on the care of patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the impact of an electronic data capture system on patient satisfaction and patient-physician interactions in a rheumatology clinical setting.


METHODS
In this multicenter study, 1079 patients with rheumatoid arthritis completed questionnaires quarterly about their health and satisfaction with care using a computer. At 6 months, 901 eligible patients were randomized 2:1 to receive or not to receive graphical summarized health information or Health Tracker (HT) reports. Data collected at each visit included patient satisfaction with care; patient-physician interaction assessments; a 56-joint self-assessment for patients; a 28-joint assessment for physicians; patient pain, fatigue, and global assessments (visual analogue scale, physician global assessment, Health Assessment Questionnaire, and Short Form-12) all of which were cumulatively recorded in the HT report.


RESULTS
Patient demographics at baseline were similar between groups. Changes from baseline to 1 year showed that patients in the HT-viewers group were significantly more satisfied with their care (p < 0.001) than those in the HT-nonviewers group (p = 0.131). Physicians reported improved interactions with patients at 1 year in both the HT-viewers (p < 0.001) and HT-nonviewers groups (p = 0.002); however, the improvement was significantly larger for the HT-viewers group than for the HT-nonviewers group (p < 0.001). Adverse events were comparable between groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Patient access to systematically collected patient data reports promoted self-involvement and improved patient satisfaction and patient-physician interactions more in the HT-viewers than in HT-nonviewers groups at 1 year (p < 0.001). This was an open, observational study; no formal hypothesis testing was conducted. The HT system was not validated and some bias may have existed with respect to patient comfort level with a computer, user error, and timing of data entry of the physicians' assessments.
Huffstutter
Joseph
J
Arthritis Associates, Chattanooga, TN 37343, USA. drhuff@pol.net <drhuff@pol.net>
Craig
W David
WD
Schimizzi
Gregory
G
Harshbarger
John
J
Lisse
Jeffrey
J
Kasle
Shelley
S
Hymson
Lisa
L
Yocum
David
D
Castro
Lesley
L
Hegedus
Ronald
R
Callegari
Peter
P
Yeilding
Newman
N
Gilmer
Keith
K
D000368:Aged; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000628:therapy*; D003625:Data Collection / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires