The impact of a comprehensive electronic patient portal on the health service use: an interrupted time-series analysis
Autor
Martínez Nicolás, Ismael
Lê Cook, Benjamin
Flores, Michael
Olmo Rodríguez, Marta del
Hernández Rodríguez, Corazón
Llamas Sillero, Pilar
Baca-Garcia, Enrique
Fecha
2019Resumen
Background: There is little empirical research on the potential benefit that electronic patient portals (EPP) can have on the care quality and health outcomes of diverse multi-ethnic international populations. The purpose of this study is to determine the extent to which an EPP was associated with improvements in health service use.
Methods: Using a quasi-experimental interrupted time-series approach, we assessed health service use before (April 2012–September 2015) and after (October 2015–December 2016) the implementation of a comprehensive EPP at four hospitals in Madrid, Spain. Primary outcomes were number of outpatient visits, any hospital admission, any 30-day all-cause readmission and any emergency department visit.
Results: Implementation of the EPP was associated with a significant decline in readmissions. Among patients with chronic heart failure, EPP implementation was associated with a significant decline for all outcome measures, and among patients with COPD, a decline in all outcomes except readmissions. Among patients diagnosed with malignant hematological diseases, no significant changes were identified.
Conclusions: EPPs hold promise for reducing hospital readmissions. Certain patient populations with chronic conditions may differentially benefit from portal use depending on their needs for communication with their providers.
Fuente
European Journal of Public Health, 29(3), 413-418Identificador DOI
doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/cky257Colecciones
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