Patient-physician electronic communication, as an adjunct in the care management of the outpatient with type 2 diabetes

This research study was designed to evaluate the user's perception of MyChart, a patient portal that encourages patient-centeredness with electronic communication between the physician and patient as an adjunct in care management. The study incorporates a survey of 1,454 patients with type 2 diabetes using My Chart in their care management. The survey was informed by a theoretical framework of the technology acceptance model and the normalization process model to measure the constructs of health seeking behavior that might motivate use of technology. Results revealed that 90% of patients surveyed are ready for the use of electronic communication and intend to use it to manage their health. The most important application reported by patients was the retrieval of test results.