E-mail is an established method of communication in business, leisure, and education, but not yet in health care. The medical profession exhibit a polarity of views on e-mail, ranging from enthusiasm at a medium based around users' convenience, to hostility based upon concerns about security and intrusion into clinicians' work patterns. We used a qualitative analysis of interactions and an electronic user survey to evaluate a practice e-mail service for repeat prescription orders, appointment booking and clinical enquiries.
Among the 150 patients, aged 24–85 years, who participated, satisfaction with the service was very high. Patients specifically commended the practice for setting up a facility to allow communication outside standard working hours and for the ease of ordering repeat prescriptions. Patients were pleased to have a means of seeking their doctor's comment or opinion without bothering him or her by making and attending a formal face-to-face consultation. E-mail dialogue was polite, factual, but less formal than standard letters.
Use of an e-mail consultation facility worked well within an urban practice, was deemed helpful by patients, and had no apparent increase in GP workload. Our results suggest that there may be an unmet need among patients for clinical e-mail services, and that such services may have positive outcomes for patients and practices.
A detailed description of methods is shown on: http://www.show.scot. nhs.uk/gpsites/t/11132/home.htm.
We should welcome comment and discussion.