Putting patients medical records online may not be such a good way to cut down on unnecessary doctors visits and calls to the office. A new study published in Journal of the American Medical Association indicates that patients who have access to their medical records online and can email their doctor make more appointments and use the emergency room more often than those who don t log on.
Researchers from Kaiser Permanente Colorado in Denver analyzed over 44,000 medical records of members who had online access, and compared the office and ER visit histories to an equal number who didn t use the online system. They found patients with online access used more health care in the year after getting electronic access they went to the doctor s office an additional 0.7 extra times a year, called an extra 0.3 times, and also made more ER trips and hospitalizations.
But ACSH s Dr. Gilbert Ross says perhaps that s because online access is a novelty, that will eventually wear off. He also wonders if the benefits in terms of more efficient care will take hold over a longer period of time, beyond the first year.