1
|
Robinson SA, Zocchi M, Purington C, Am L, DeLaughter K, Vimalananda VG, Netherton D, Ash AS, Hogan TP, Shimada SL. Secure Messaging for Diabetes Management: Content Analysis. JMIR Diabetes 2023; 8:e40272. [PMID: 36951903 PMCID: PMC10131591 DOI: 10.2196/40272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2022] [Revised: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/24/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Secure messaging use is associated with improved diabetes-related outcomes. However, it is less clear how secure messaging supports diabetes management. OBJECTIVE We examined secure message topics between patients and clinical team members in a national sample of veterans with type 2 diabetes to understand use of secure messaging for diabetes management and potential associations with glycemic control. METHODS We surveyed and analyzed the content of secure messages between 448 US Veterans Health Administration patients with type 2 diabetes and their clinical teams. We also explored the relationship between secure messaging content and glycemic control. RESULTS Explicit diabetes-related content was the most frequent topic (72.1% of participants), followed by blood pressure (31.7% of participants). Among diabetes-related conversations, 90.7% of patients discussed medication renewals or refills. More patients with good glycemic control engaged in 1 or more threads about blood pressure compared to those with poor control (37.5% vs 27.2%, P=.02). More patients with good glycemic control engaged in 1 more threads intended to share information with their clinical team about an aspect of their diabetes management compared to those with poor control (23.7% vs 12.4%, P=.009). CONCLUSIONS There were few differences in secure messaging topics between patients in good versus poor glycemic control. Those in good control were more likely to engage in informational messages to their team and send messages related to blood pressure. It may be that the specific topic content of the secure messages may not be that important for glycemic control. Simply making it easier for patients to communicate with their clinical teams may be the driving influence between associations previously reported in the literature between secure messaging and positive clinical outcomes in diabetes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie A Robinson
- Center for Healthcare Organization and Implementation Research, Veterans Affairs Bedford Healthcare System, Bedford, MA, United States
- The Pulmonary Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Mark Zocchi
- Center for Healthcare Organization and Implementation Research, Veterans Affairs Bedford Healthcare System, Bedford, MA, United States
- The Heller School for Social Policy and Management, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA, United States
| | - Carolyn Purington
- Center for Healthcare Organization and Implementation Research, Veterans Affairs Bedford Healthcare System, Bedford, MA, United States
| | - Linda Am
- Center for Healthcare Organization and Implementation Research, Veterans Affairs Bedford Healthcare System, Bedford, MA, United States
| | - Kathryn DeLaughter
- Center for Healthcare Organization and Implementation Research, Veterans Affairs Bedford Healthcare System, Bedford, MA, United States
| | - Varsha G Vimalananda
- Center for Healthcare Organization and Implementation Research, Veterans Affairs Bedford Healthcare System, Bedford, MA, United States
- Department of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Dane Netherton
- Center for Healthcare Organization and Implementation Research, Veterans Affairs Bedford Healthcare System, Bedford, MA, United States
| | - Arlene S Ash
- Department of Population and Quantitative Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States
| | - Timothy P Hogan
- Center for Healthcare Organization and Implementation Research, Veterans Affairs Bedford Healthcare System, Bedford, MA, United States
- Department of Population and Data Sciences, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, United States
| | - Stephanie L Shimada
- Center for Healthcare Organization and Implementation Research, Veterans Affairs Bedford Healthcare System, Bedford, MA, United States
- Department of Population and Quantitative Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States
- Department of Health Law, Policy, and Management, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Hogan TP, Etingen B, McMahon N, Bixler FR, Am L, Wacks RE, Shimada SL, Reilly ED, Frisbee KL, Smith BM. Understanding Adoption and Preliminary Effectiveness of a Mobile App for Chronic Pain Management Among US Military Veterans: Pre-Post Mixed Methods Evaluation. JMIR Form Res 2022; 6:e33716. [PMID: 35049515 PMCID: PMC8814923 DOI: 10.2196/33716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2021] [Revised: 10/17/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The Veterans Health Administration Pain Coach mobile health app was developed to support veterans with chronic pain. Objective Our objective was to evaluate early user experiences with the Pain Coach app and preliminary impacts of app use on pain-related outcomes. Methods Following a sequential, explanatory, mixed methods design, we mailed surveys to veterans at 2 time points with an outreach program in between and conducted semistructured interviews with a subsample of survey respondents. We analyzed survey data using descriptive statistics among veterans who completed both surveys and examined differences in key outcomes using paired samples t tests. We analyzed semistructured interview data using thematic analysis. Results Of 1507 veterans invited and eligible to complete the baseline survey, we received responses from 393 (26.1%). These veterans received our outreach program; 236 (236/393, 60.1%) completed follow-up surveys. We conducted interviews with 10 app users and 10 nonusers. Among survey respondents, 10.2% (24/236) used Pain Coach, and 58% (14/24) reported it was easy to use, though interviews identified various app usability issues. Veterans who used Pain Coach reported greater pain self-efficacy (mean 23.1 vs mean 16.6; P=.01) and lower pain interference (mean 34.6 vs mean 31.8; P=.03) after (vs before) use. The most frequent reason veterans reported for not using the app was that their health care team had not discussed it with them (96/212, 45.3%). Conclusions Our findings suggest that future efforts to increase adoption of Pain Coach and other mobile apps among veterans should include health care team endorsement. Our findings regarding the impact of Pain Coach use on outcomes warrant further study.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Timothy P Hogan
- eHealth Partnered Evaluation Initiative, Veterans Affairs Bedford Healthcare System, Bedford, MA, United States.,Center for Healthcare Organization and Implementation Research, Veterans Affairs Bedford Healthcare System, Bedford, MA, United States.,Department of Population and Data Sciences, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, United States
| | - Bella Etingen
- eHealth Partnered Evaluation Initiative, Veterans Affairs Bedford Healthcare System, Bedford, MA, United States.,Center of Innovation for Complex Chronic Healthcare, Edward Hines Jr. Veterans Affairs Hospital, Hines, IL, United States
| | - Nicholas McMahon
- eHealth Partnered Evaluation Initiative, Veterans Affairs Bedford Healthcare System, Bedford, MA, United States.,Center for Healthcare Organization and Implementation Research, Veterans Affairs Bedford Healthcare System, Bedford, MA, United States
| | - Felicia R Bixler
- eHealth Partnered Evaluation Initiative, Veterans Affairs Bedford Healthcare System, Bedford, MA, United States.,Center of Innovation for Complex Chronic Healthcare, Edward Hines Jr. Veterans Affairs Hospital, Hines, IL, United States
| | - Linda Am
- eHealth Partnered Evaluation Initiative, Veterans Affairs Bedford Healthcare System, Bedford, MA, United States.,Center for Healthcare Organization and Implementation Research, Veterans Affairs Bedford Healthcare System, Bedford, MA, United States
| | - Rachel E Wacks
- eHealth Partnered Evaluation Initiative, Veterans Affairs Bedford Healthcare System, Bedford, MA, United States.,Center for Healthcare Organization and Implementation Research, Veterans Affairs Bedford Healthcare System, Bedford, MA, United States
| | - Stephanie L Shimada
- eHealth Partnered Evaluation Initiative, Veterans Affairs Bedford Healthcare System, Bedford, MA, United States.,Center for Healthcare Organization and Implementation Research, Veterans Affairs Bedford Healthcare System, Bedford, MA, United States.,Department of Health Law, Policy, and Management, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States.,Division of Health Informatics and Implementation Science, Department of Population and Quantitative Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States
| | - Erin D Reilly
- Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center (MIRECC), Veterans Affairs Bedford Healthcare System, Bedford, MA, United States.,Social and Community Reintegration Research (SoCRR), Veterans Affairs Bedford Healthcare System, Bedford, MA, United States
| | - Kathleen L Frisbee
- eHealth Partnered Evaluation Initiative, Veterans Affairs Bedford Healthcare System, Bedford, MA, United States.,Office of Connected Care, Veterans Health Administration, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Bridget M Smith
- eHealth Partnered Evaluation Initiative, Veterans Affairs Bedford Healthcare System, Bedford, MA, United States.,Center of Innovation for Complex Chronic Healthcare, Edward Hines Jr. Veterans Affairs Hospital, Hines, IL, United States.,Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, United States
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Zocchi MS, Robinson SA, Ash AS, Vimalananda VG, Wolfe HL, Hogan TP, Connolly SL, Stewart MT, Am L, Netherton D, Shimada SL. Patient portal engagement and diabetes management among new portal users in the Veterans Health Administration. J Am Med Inform Assoc 2021; 28:2176-2183. [PMID: 34339500 DOI: 10.1093/jamia/ocab115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2021] [Revised: 05/19/2021] [Accepted: 05/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The study sought to investigate whether consistent use of the Veterans Health Administration's My HealtheVet (MHV) online patient portal is associated with improvement in diabetes-related physiological measures among new portal users. MATERIALS AND METHODS We conducted a retrospective cohort study of new portal users with type 2 diabetes that registered for MHV between 2012 and 2016. We used random-effect linear regression models to examine associations between months of portal use in a year (consistency) and annual means of the physiological measures (hemoglobin A1c [HbA1c], low-density lipoproteins [LDLs], and blood pressure [BP]) in the first 3 years of portal use. RESULTS For patients with uncontrolled HbA1c, LDL, or BP at baseline, more months of portal use in a year was associated with greater improvement. Compared with 1 month of use, using the portal 12 months in a year was associated with annual declines in HbA1c of -0.41% (95% confidence interval [CI], -0.46% to -0.36%) and in LDL of -6.25 (95% CI, -7.15 to -5.36) mg/dL. Twelve months of portal use was associated with minimal improvements in BP: systolic BP of -1.01 (95% CI, -1.33 to -0.68) mm Hg and diastolic BP of -0.67 (95% CI, -0.85 to -0.49) mm Hg. All associations were smaller or not present for patients in control of these measures at baseline. CONCLUSIONS We found consistent use of the patient portal among new portal users to be associated with modest improvements in mean HbA1c and LDL for patients at increased risk at baseline. For patients with type 2 diabetes, self-management supported by online patient portals may help control HbA1c, LDL, and BP.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mark S Zocchi
- Center for Healthcare Organization and Implementation Research, VA Bedford Healthcare System, Bedford, Massachusetts, USA.,Heller School for Social Policy and Management, Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Stephanie A Robinson
- Center for Healthcare Organization and Implementation Research, VA Bedford Healthcare System, Bedford, Massachusetts, USA.,The Pulmonary Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Arlene S Ash
- Department of Population and Quantitative Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Varsha G Vimalananda
- Center for Healthcare Organization and Implementation Research, VA Bedford Healthcare System, Bedford, Massachusetts, USA.,Department of Medicine, Section of Endocrinology, Diabetes, Nutrition and Weight Management, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Hill L Wolfe
- Center for Healthcare Organization and Implementation Research, VA Bedford Healthcare System, Bedford, Massachusetts, USA.,Department of Health Law, Policy and Management, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Timothy P Hogan
- Center for Healthcare Organization and Implementation Research, VA Bedford Healthcare System, Bedford, Massachusetts, USA.,Department of Population and Data Sciences, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - Samantha L Connolly
- Center for Healthcare Organization and Implementation Research, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Maureen T Stewart
- Center for Healthcare Organization and Implementation Research, VA Bedford Healthcare System, Bedford, Massachusetts, USA.,Heller School for Social Policy and Management, Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Linda Am
- Center for Healthcare Organization and Implementation Research, VA Bedford Healthcare System, Bedford, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Dane Netherton
- Center for Healthcare Organization and Implementation Research, VA Bedford Healthcare System, Bedford, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Stephanie L Shimada
- Center for Healthcare Organization and Implementation Research, VA Bedford Healthcare System, Bedford, Massachusetts, USA.,Department of Health Law, Policy and Management, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Division of Health Informatics and Implementation Science, Department of Population and Quantitative Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Robinson S, Zocchi M, Netherton D, Ash A, Purington C, Am L, DeLaughter K, Shimada S. Secure Messaging, Diabetes Self‐Management, and the Importance of Patient Autonomy: A Mixed Methods Study. Health Serv Res 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/1475-6773.13383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- S. Robinson
- Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans Hospital Bedford MA United States
| | - M. Zocchi
- Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans Hospital Bedford MA United States
- Heller School for Social Policy and Management Brandeis University Waltham MA United States
| | - D. Netherton
- Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans Hospital Bedford MA United States
| | - A. Ash
- University of Massachusetts Medical School Worcester MA United States
| | - C. Purington
- Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans Hospital Bedford MA United States
| | - L. Am
- Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans Hospital Bedford MA United States
| | - K. DeLaughter
- Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans Hospital Bedford MA United States
| | - S. Shimada
- Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans Hospital Bedford MA United States
- University of Massachusetts Medical School Worcester MA United States
- Boston University School of Public Health Boston MA United States
| |
Collapse
|