“I don’t bother with the phone!”: Feeling Closer to Physician using Secure Messaging

Abstract

This study explores the use of phone and secure messaging via an online patient portal in mediating the communication between patients and their healthcare providers. In analyzing the messages handling processes, we found that although both phone and secure messages were answered in similar manners, the interplay of the front- and back-end roles in collaborative work resulted in patients’ preference for secure messages in communication as they believed it offered direct and empowered communication experiences. This study offers insights on the choice of how different communication media affect patients’ perception toward the quality of the communication and patient-provider relationship. \