Table 1.

Overview of vignette and associated gaps from the patient perspective

Typical patient experience in the not-too-distant future	Gaps between the current patient experience and the future
1. Patient schedules an appointment with his primary care provider online via the patient portal. The patient can access and transfer medical history and records from his previous provider online prior to the scheduled visit.	1. Most health care providers have not enabled patients to schedule appointments online1 or provide past medical records electronically.
2. Patient receives an e-mail prior to the appointment that directs him to update his active medication list, family and past medical history, and allergy information. The patient completes an online health risk assessment and enters the issues he wants to discuss with the provider.	2a. Most health care providers have not enabled functionality to allow patients to submit patient-generated data online.1
	2b. Standards for patient- generated health data are immature or, in many instances, nonexistent.
3a. After the provider sees the patient and sends him to a specialist, the patient meets with a patient navigator, who asks about his interest in participating in a clinical trial.	3a. Only a small proportion of patients receive clinical trial information from their primary physician.2
3b. The patient navigator asks the patient about granting permission for storage of his information and residual blood for researchers developing new diagnostic tests and treatments.	3b. It is rare for health care providers to participate in biobanks.3