Skip to main content

Table 4 Comparison of attitudes relating to provision of cell phone numbers and email addresses to patients.

From: Providing cell phone numbers and email addresses to Patients: the physician's perspective

Question

Cell phone

N (%)

Email

N (%)

P

All participants

Do you give your cell phone number or email address to patients?

   

To none

69 (58.5)

62 (53.0)

 

To a small portion of them

38 (32.2)

55 (47.0)

0.0007

To all those who are interested

11 (9.3)

0 (0)

 

What is your attitude towards providing your cell phone number or work email address to patients?

   

Not prepared to provide it

42 (35.0)

52 (43.3)

0.18

Prepared, but only in special cases

78 (65.0)

68 (56.7)

 

Only physicians prepared to provide their cell phone number (N = 78) or email address (N = 68) to patients

Why do you think it is worthwhile to give your cell phone number or email address to patients? (More than one answer is possible)

   

Can improve the quality of the patient-physician relationship

8 (10.3)

9 (13.2)

0.58

Can give patients a sense of security even if they don't use it

37 (47.4)

54 (79.4)

0.0001

Is an effective tool for solving patients' problems

22 (28.2)

23 (3.8)

0.46

Can reduce the number of clinic visits

40 (51.3)

25 (36.8)

0.08

Can reduce the number of unnecessary emergency room visits (cut costs)

37 (47.4)

39 (57.4)

0.23

A convenient, non-committal means of communication/cannot cause harm

0 (0)

2 (2.9)

0.21

Only in medical emergencies such as changing Coumadin dose with INR result

8 (10.3)

0 (0)

0.00

At what times would you agree to get call from your patients?

   

Only at pre-determined times

41 (52.6)

13 (19.1)

0.0001

At most times (other than weekends and holidays

21 (26.9)

49 (72.1)

0.0001

At all times including weekends and holidays

7 (9.0)

2 (2.9)

0.12

Only during work hours and only if I'm free to answer

9 (11.5)

4 (5.9)

0.23

Why do you think it is not worthwhile to give your cell phone number or email address to patients? (More than one answer is possible)

   

Impinges upon my privacy after work hours

77 (64.7)

56 (47.5)

0.007

There are medical services available after clinic hours

52 (43.7)

48 (40.7)

0.64

In a medical emergency it's possible to call an ambulance or go to the emergency room

92 (77.3)

69 (58.5)

0.0002

The inability to conduct a physical examination could cause an error

75 (63.0)

77 (65.3)

0.72

Miscommunication leading to litigation for medical negligence can occur

35 (29.4)

67 (56.8)

0.0001

Pressure/clinic hours are enough for talks

2(1.7)

0(0)

0.25

I don't check email often/there is a danger of hacking

0(0)

7(5.9)

0.007

What might make you more amenable to providing your cell phone number or email address to patients? (More than one answer possible)

   

Cell phone provided by my employer

53(44.2)

 

---

Extra pay for the service

84(70.0)

36(30.5)

0.001

Allotment of time during work to answer emails

60(50.0)

94(79.7)

0.001

Possibility of turning the phone off after work, or nothing will make me amenable

2(1.7)

0(0)

0.25

Patients are told that there will be a low availability rate

0(0)

1(0.8)

0.49