Only 1 in 15 docs e-mails with patients

Despite indications that e-mail access to physicians increases patient satisfaction, only 6.7% of office-based physicians routinely use e-mail to communicate with their patients, according to a report from the Center for Studying Health System Change.

The report is based on a 2008 survey of 4,258 physicians (anesthesiologists, pathologists, radiologists, and residents and fellows were excluded). Only 34.5% of survey respondents said their office was equipped to handle electronic communication about clinical issues with patients, and among them, only 19.5% reported e-mailing with patients routinely. Barriers to using e-mail included lack of reimbursement and concerns about increased workload, maintaining data privacy and security, and avoiding increased medical liability.