title: Use of hyperlinks in electronic test result communication: a survey study in general practice.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Information is essential in healthcare. Recording, handling and sharing healthcare information is important in order to ensure high quality of delivered healthcare. Information and communication technology (ICT) may be a valuable tool for handling these challenges. One way of enhancing the exchange of information could be to establish a link between patient-specific and general information sent to the general practitioner (GP). The aim of the present paper is to study GPs' use of a hyperlink inserted into electronic test result communication.
  
  
  METHODS
  We inserted a hyperlink into the electronic test result communication sent to the patients' GPs who participated in a regional, systematic breast cancer screening program. The hyperlink target was a web-site with information on the breast cancer screening program and breast cancer in general. Different strategies were used to increase the GPs' use of this hyperlink. The outcome measure was the GPs' self-reported use of the link. Data were collected by means of a one-page paper-based questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The response rate was 73% (n=242). In total, 108 (45%) of the GPs reported to have used the link. In all, 22% (n=53) of the GPs used the web-address from a paper letter and 37% (n=89) used the hyperlink in the electronic test result communication (Δ = 15%[95%confidence  int erval(CI) = 8 - 22%P < 0.001]). We found no statistically significant associations between use of the web-address/hyperlink and the GP's gender, age, or attitude towards mammography screening.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results suggest that hyperlinks in electronic test result communication could be a feasible strategy for combining and sharing different types of healthcare information.
authors.affiliation: The Research Unit for General Practice, School of Public Health, Aarhus University, Bartholins Allé 2, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark. mukai@alm.au.dk
authors.forename: Thomas Ostersen
authors.initials: TO
authors.lastname: Mukai
authors.forename: Flemming
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bro
authors.forename: Morten
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fenger-Grøn
authors.forename: Frede
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Olesen
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vedsted
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis; D015709:Correspondence as Topic; D003718:Denmark; D034742:Electronic Mail / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D058006:General Practice / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D033181:Information Dissemination / Q000379:methods*; D020407:Internet / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D008327:Mammography / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D009819:Office Visits / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D010821:Physicians, Family / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires