OBJECTIVE: To find out patients' opinions of e-medicine, obtaining general ideas related to three relevant aspects: electronic health records (EHR), the web as an information source and use of e-mail. DESIGN: Qualitative phenomenological study, analysing the content of group interviews. Content analysis was performed by the three researchers. PARTICIPANTS: Urban patients. Internet and e-mail practical knowledge. VARIABLES: age and gender, districts with different socio-economic levels. SETTING: San Sebastián (Spain). RESULTS: Four focal groups, with 35 people, 12 under 25 years old, 10 over 65, and 16 women. EHR valuation was very positive. Computer use does not change the health worker-patient relationship. It must spread to the home setting, and be available from any point, creating another kind of relationship, regardless of the distance. Single EHR for all the suppliers. Patients consider themselves authorised to manipulate it. Participants use the web as an information source, looking for safe sources and specific information, and to verify health workers information. The relationship with doctors is irreplaceable. E-mail is a useful alternative for specific needs. It would force a redesign of working schedule and to define the conditions of use. CONCLUSIONS: New technologies are widely used. Acceptance is practically unanimous. Ideas such as continuous care by the same person are very innovative. It seems that we are faced with a powerful technology, which could improve and facilitate patient care, as patient awareness of their individual rights coincides with unlimited access to the information.
OBJECTIVE: To find out patients' opinions of e-medicine, obtaining general ideas related to three relevant aspects: electronic health records (EHR), the web as an information source and use of e-mail. DESIGN: Qualitative phenomenological study, analysing the content of group interviews. Content analysis was performed by the three researchers. PARTICIPANTS: Urban patients. Internet and e-mail practical knowledge. VARIABLES: age and gender, districts with different socio-economic levels. SETTING: San Sebastián (Spain). RESULTS: Four focal groups, with 35 people, 12 under 25 years old, 10 over 65, and 16 women. EHR valuation was very positive. Computer use does not change the health worker-patient relationship. It must spread to the home setting, and be available from any point, creating another kind of relationship, regardless of the distance. Single EHR for all the suppliers. Patients consider themselves authorised to manipulate it. Participants use the web as an information source, looking for safe sources and specific information, and to verify health workers information. The relationship with doctors is irreplaceable. E-mail is a useful alternative for specific needs. It would force a redesign of working schedule and to define the conditions of use. CONCLUSIONS: New technologies are widely used. Acceptance is practically unanimous. Ideas such as continuous care by the same person are very innovative. It seems that we are faced with a powerful technology, which could improve and facilitate patient care, as patient awareness of their individual rights coincides with unlimited access to the information.