title: Self-reported "communication technology" usage in patients attending a cardiology outpatient clinic in a remote regional hospital.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study assessed the perceived usage of, and attitudes toward, communication technologies (mobile phone and texting, e-mail, and the World Wide Web) in patients attending a cardiology clinic with a view to guiding future health service redesign.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was performed in a remote regional hospital serving both urban and rural populations. A self-completion questionnaire was completed by a convenience sample of 221 patients attending a general cardiology clinic. The questions asked about patients' access to and use of technology at home. Data collected also included age, gender, travel time to the clinic, mode of travel, and whether the respondent was accompanied to the clinic. Appropriate statistical tests were used with significance taken at the 0.05 level.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Age was the strongest predictor of use of communication technologies, with younger patients more likely to use e-mail, Web, mobile phone, and texting. However, frequency of use of e-mail was not related to age. It is encouraging that over 99% of patients used at least one communication technology.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study has highlighted that there may be several potential barriers to the widespread implementation of communication technologies in general cardiology patients. Cognizance should be taken of these findings when attempting service redesign.
authors.affiliation: Cardiac Unit, Raigmore Hospital, Inverness, Scotland, UK.
authors.forename: Tariro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gandiya
authors.forename: Anahita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dua
authors.forename: Gerry
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: King
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mazzocco
authors.forename: Amir
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hussain
authors.forename: Stephen J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Leslie
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001292:Attitude to Computers; D016507:Cardiology Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002648:Child; D003142:Communication; D003195:Computer Communication Networks / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D034742:Electronic Mail / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010045:Outpatients / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012424:Rural Population; D012606:Scotland; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017216:Telemedicine; D055815:Young Adult