What Internet Services Would Patients Like From Hospitals During an Epidemic?
Author Information
Author(s): Carlos A Rizo, Doina Lupea, Homayoun Baybourdy, Matthew Anderson, Tom Closson, Alejandro R Jadad
Primary Institution: Centre for Global eHealth Innovation, University Health Network
Hypothesis
What health services might patients want from hospitals through the Internet during a mass emergency?
Conclusion
Most patients are willing and able to use the Internet to maintain communication with hospitals during an outbreak.
Supporting Evidence
- 70% of patients used the Internet by themselves.
- 75% of Internet users were interested in communicating with health professionals online.
- Younger age and higher education were predictors of interest in Internet services.
Takeaway
Patients want to use the Internet to talk to their doctors and get health information during emergencies.
Methodology
Cross-sectional surveys were conducted at hospital entrances and clinics, using descriptive statistics and logistic regression for analysis.
Potential Biases
Potential response bias due to rushed survey conditions and higher refusal rates at hospital entrances.
Limitations
The sample was convenience-based, and the representativeness of the population is unknown due to selection bias.
Participant Demographics
The majority of Internet users were aged 21-60, with a balanced gender representation and a significant portion having college or undergraduate education.
Statistical Information
P-Value
<0.05
Confidence Interval
95% CI
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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