Table 8.
Reasons patients find secure messaging helpful and reasons for use (N=819).
| Reasons | Find secure messaging useful n (%) |
Reason for using secure messaging n (%) |
| Medication refills | 546 (66.7) | 475 (58.0) |
| Medication questions | 313 (38.2) | 305 (37.2) |
| To manage appointments (eg, schedule, cancel) | 343 (41.9) | 301 (36.8) |
| Test results | 350 (42.7) | 292 (35.7) |
| Requests for tests | 168 (20.5) | 136 (16.6) |
| Request consult with specialist (eg, referral) | 220 (26.9) | 203 (24.8) |
| Health-related questions | 340 (41.5) | 301 (36.8) |
| Sensitive health topics (eg, sexually transmitted infections, mental health) | 67 (8.2) | 66 (8.1) |
| Can contact providers on my own time | 425 (51.9) | 381 (46.5) |
| Saves time compared with other method of communication (eg, phone) | 448 (54.7) | 377 (46.0) |