Testing an Interactive Website for Hormone Replacement

Patient-centered care may be enhanced by medically accurate, personalized health information generated by specialized software on the Internet. This study assessed the effect of a web-based interactive tool about menopausal hormone therapy (HT) on patient and provider communication and satisfaction.

The controlled, randomized evaluation of the TalkToYourDoc(sm) (TTYD) interactive website module on communication, satisfaction and efficiency of office visits involved 288 women born between 1930 and 1960 and 26 health care providers in an outpatient, academic setting. Women were randomized after stratification by HT use to usual care or access to the TTYD website. The TTYD website built a personalized series of questions based on participant input regarding health status and generated a printout of health issues, medications and questions about HT for participants to bring to the visit with their health care provider.

Results of the study found that women who participated in the intervention were more likely to come prepared to the clinic appointment with appropriate questions (80% vs. 96%) than women receiving usual care. Participants found the website easy to use, the questions generated were useful in the discussion of HT, and they felt that providers had a positive response to the printout. Providers felt that women who participated in the intervention were more engaged in the discussion and asked more relevant questions regarding HT. Providers had a higher level of satisfaction with the discussion with intervention participants, and felt that these office visits were more efficient.

Therefore, it was determined that the TalkToYourDoc(sm) module enhanced communication between women and their providers, led to greater visit satisfaction for both patient and provider, and improved visit efficiency.