Using Patient Portals to Discuss Medications in Dementia Care
Author Information
Author(s): Green Ariel, Wek Aleksandra, Gleason Kelly, Wu Mingche, Gamper Mary Jo, Wolff Jennifer
Primary Institution: Johns Hopkins University
Hypothesis
How do people living with dementia and their care partners use patient portals to communicate about medications?
Conclusion
The study found that patient portals are frequently used by people living with dementia and their care partners to discuss medication-related concerns.
Supporting Evidence
- 65% of the patients were female.
- 76% of the patients were white.
- 42% of messages discussed logistics like medication instructions.
- 25% of messages addressed adverse effects or treatment burden.
- 21% of messages showed openness to stopping a medication.
Takeaway
People with dementia and their helpers often use online tools to talk about their medications, which can help doctors understand their needs better.
Methodology
Analyzed secure message exchanges from patients 65 years and older with dementia or their care partners in a health system between 2017 and 2022.
Limitations
The study is limited to a single health system and may not be generalizable to other settings.
Participant Demographics
Patients were on average 78.4 years old, 65% female, 76% white, and 96% non-Hispanic/Latinx.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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