title: Internet availability and interest in patients at a family medicine residency clinic.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The Internet has affected the day-to-day lives of physicians, hospitals, and patients. The medical information for each is available at a moment's notice. We surveyed patients to see how many have access to the Internet and whether they are interested in using the Internet to communicate about their medical care.
  
  
  METHODS
  An anonymous one-page survey was given to patients over the age of 18 who had an office visit at the Family Medicine Center.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 258 of 300 surveys were returned. A majority of these patients have access to the Internet (80.6%). Patients were most interested in being able to receive appointment reminders by e-mail (44.6%), get answers to medical questions (41.9%), and schedule appointments online (41.5%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients would like to be active participants in their medical care electronically. We encourage other physicians to investigate what patients in their practice would consider a service to provide electronically.
authors.affiliation: Saint Joseph Family Medicine Residency, South Bend, IN 46617, USA. fashnerj@sjrmc.com
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fashner
authors.forename: Stephen T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Drye
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003142:Communication; D005194:Family Practice / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D033181:Information Dissemination; D020407:Internet / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007396:Internship and Residency / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D005791:Patient Care / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult