TY  - JOUR
AU  - Mák, Geneviève
AU  - Smith Fowler, Heather
AU  - Leaver, Chad
AU  - Hagens, Simon
AU  - Zelmer, Jennifer
PY  - 2015
DA  - 2015/08/04
TI  - The Effects of Web-Based Patient Access to Laboratory Results in British Columbia: A Patient Survey on Comprehension and Anxiety
JO  - J Med Internet Res
SP  - e191
VL  - 17
IS  - 8
KW  - patient access to information
KW  - online access to laboratory results
KW  - consumer health solutions
KW  - personal health records
KW  - patient anxiety
KW  - patient comprehension
KW  - laboratory results
AB  - Background: Web-based patient access to personal health information is limited but increasing in Canada and internationally. Objective: This exploratory study aimed to increase understanding of how Web-based access to laboratory test results in British Columbia (Canada), which has been broadly available since 2010, affects patients’ experiences. Methods: In November 2013, we surveyed adults in British Columbia who had had a laboratory test in the previous 12 months. Using a retrospective cohort design, we compared reported wait-time for results, test result comprehension, and anxiety levels of “service users” who had Web-based access to their test results (n=2047) with those of a general population panel that did not have Web-based access (n=1245). Results: The vast majority of service users (83.99%, 95% CI 82.31-85.67) said they received their results within “a few days”, compared to just over a third of the comparison group (37.84%, 95% CI 34.96-40.73). Most in both groups said they understood their test results, but the rate was lower for service users than the comparison group (75.55%, 95% CI 73.58-77.49 vs 84.69%, 95% CI 82.59-86.81). There was no significant difference between groups in levels of reported anxiety after receiving test results. Conclusions: While most patients who received their laboratory test results online reported little anxiety after receiving their results and were satisfied with the service, there may be opportunities to improve comprehension of results. 
SN  - 1438-8871
UR  - http://www.jmir.org/2015/8/e191/
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.4350
UR  - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26242801
DO  - 10.2196/jmir.4350
ID  - info:doi/10.2196/jmir.4350
ER  -