Care Delivered by Pediatric Surgical Specialties Through Patient Portal Messaging. J Surg Res 2019 Feb;234:231-239
Date
12/12/2018Pubmed ID
30527479Pubmed Central ID
PMC6294474DOI
10.1016/j.jss.2018.09.013Scopus ID
2-s2.0-85054558438 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site) 14 CitationsAbstract
BACKGROUND: Patient portals are online applications that typically allow users to interact with providers using secure messaging. Portal messaging use and content have not been studied in pediatric surgical specialties.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: We obtained all message threads initiated by pediatric patients/caregivers and sent to pediatric surgical providers through the Vanderbilt University Medical Center patient portal from June 1, 2014 to December 31, 2014. We collected patient demographics and providers' surgical specialties. We determined the number of message threads and individual messages sent by patients/caregivers and providers by specialty. Message content was analyzed by semantic types using a validated consumer health taxonomy.
RESULTS: Most threads were about male (176, 60.3%), white (239, 81.8%), non-Hispanic (278, 95.2%) patients with a median age of 6 y (range: 0-21 y). A total of 292 message threads containing 1679 individual messages were sent with mean 5.8 (standard deviation [SD] 5.0) messages per thread. Messages were sent more frequently regarding younger patients (P = 0.001). Physicians directly contributed to 161 (55%) message threads. Otolaryngology received the most threads (123, 42.1%) and messages (790, 47.1%). Specialties exchanging the most messages per thread were cardiac surgery (mean 7.0, SD 11.7), and dermatology (7.0, SD 6.9). Most message threads (273, 93.5%) involved delivery of medical care with 123 (42.1%) involving appointments/scheduling; 99 (33.9%) medical problems; 81 (27.7%) treatments; 68 (23.3%) testing; and 29 (9.9%) referrals.
CONCLUSIONS: Pediatric surgeons deliver substantial care within portal messages exchanged with pediatric patients and caregivers. Institutions adopting portals should consider effects on provider workload and potential disparities in access to care.
Author List
Riera KM, Robinson JR, Van Arendonk KJ, Jackson GPMESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
AdolescentChild
Child, Preschool
Correspondence as Topic
Delivery of Health Care
Female
Humans
Infant
Infant, Newborn
Linear Models
Male
Patient Portals
Pediatrics
Practice Patterns, Physicians'
Professional-Patient Relations
Specialties, Surgical
Telemedicine
Tennessee
Young Adult
