Shared Online Health Records for Patient Safety and Care

During the first phase of the study, primary care practice patients continue to receive "usual care" while their physician's offices are using Patient Gateway, an Internet portal offering secure messaging, common requests, chart information, and health information that has already been developed. Also in this first phase, all patients using Patient Gateway will receive an electronic letter explaining the research study and a link to an electronic consent form. In addition to recruitment of subjects, phase 1 allows for baseline data to be collected.

In the second phase, study clinics will be randomized into one of two intervention "arms". Study subjects whose clinics are randomized into Arm 1 will be invited to review and comment on their medication, allergy, and diabetes information through Patient Gateway; they can then submit this information to their primary care physician for review. Those randomized into Arm 2 will report on their health maintenance status and family history and submit this information to their primary care physician through Patient Gateway prior to a scheduled visit. Chart reviews performed at the end of Phase 1 and Phase 2 will be conducted to identify differences in process measures and outcome measures between intervention and control groups.

In addition, a medication phone survey sub-study will be conducted to evaluate the effect of the new Patient Gateway features on medication management.