Changing attitudes towards online electronic health records and online patient documentation in rheumatology outpatients.
OBJECTIVE
The Internet supports interactive patient assessments, online documentation and access to online electronic health records (EHRs), but little is known about the acceptance of these features and trends in rheumatology patients. Therefore, we studied patients' attitudes and willingness to participate in online patient (self-)documentation.


METHODS
We interviewed 153 consecutive outpatients with rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus or spondyloarthritis using a paperbased self-administered questionnaire. To detect recent trends in patients' perception we compared our 2006 data to the results of our survey conducted in 2001. P-values provided in the abstract reflect the comparisons from 2001 and 2006.


RESULTS
Patients were predominantly female (69.3%; n.s.), mean age was 45.7+/-14.4 years (n.s.), and 68.6% (+18.6% compared to 2001; p<0.001) reported regular Internet use. Confidence in the Internet and reliability of online information were rated unchanged to 2001. Internet users appreciated to access their EHR online in 68.6% (+13.8% compared to 2001; p<0.01), (self-)monitor the course of their disease online in 80.0%, and answer outcome questionnaires online in 67.6%. Internet users considered computers as valuable instruments in the patient-doctor relationship (88.4%), 58.8% were not convinced that computer use influences the relationship positively.


CONCLUSIONS
Attitudes of patients with rheumatic disorders (Internet users and non-users) towards online EHRs have improved since 2001, online applications for patient assessments and disease (self-)management in rheumatology seem feasible now. Nevertheless, unchanged low confidence rates in the Internet and in the reliability of medical information derived from the Internet should sound a note of caution regarding the implementation of such services.
Richter
Jutta G
JG
Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Rheumatology, University Hospital Duesseldorf, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Germany. richter@rheumanet.org
Becker
Arnd
A
Koch
Tobias
T
Willers
Reinhart
R
Nixdorf
Mirco
M
Schacher
Ben
B
Monser
Robert
R
Specker
Christof
C
Alten
Rieke
R
Schneider
Matthias
M
D000328:Adult; D001292:Attitude to Computers; D004282:Documentation; D057286:Electronic Health Records; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010045:Outpatients / Q000523:psychology*; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology*; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D012216:Rheumatic Diseases / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D012219:Rheumatology