Does computer use in patient-physician encounters influence patient satisfaction?

Sarah Lelievre; Karen Schultz

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Table 1.

Demographics of respondent population: N = 175.

CHARACTERISTICS	RESPONDENTS, %^*
Female	61.1
Age, y
• < 20	1.1
• 20–39	13.1
• 40–65	58.3
• > 65	26.3
Ethnic background
• White	83.4
• Other	12.5
Education level
• Completed grade school	8.6
• Completed high school	27.4
• Completed postsecondary education	34.9
• Completed postgraduate education	25.1
No. of years respondent has been a patient at the FMC
• < 5	13.1
• ≥ 5	82.3
Frequency of visiting the physician
• Once a month or more	10.9
• Between once a month and once a year	60.6
• Once a year	11.4
• Less than once a year	12.0
Personal rating of health
• Very good	27.4
• Good	52.0
• Poor	5.7
• Very poor	1.1

FMC—family medicine centre.
↵* Not all respondents answered all questions; percentages do not add to 100% owing to these missing data.

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Table 2.

Comparison of respondent and visit characteristics with preference for or against computer use in the office: Overall, 31.4% of respondents preferred having their physicians use computers during consultations, 51.4% had no preference, and 10.9% preferred that their physicians did not use computers; N = 175.

RESPONDENT AND VISIT CHARACTERISTICS	NO. OF RESPONSES	PREFERRED COMPUTER, %^*	NO PREFERENCE, %^*	PREFERRED NO COMPUTER, %^*	2-TPVALUE
Level of satisfaction with the visit					.9771
• Very satisfied	81	27.2	54.3	9.9
• Satisfied	73	35.6	52.1	8.2
• Somewhat satisfied	18	33.3	44.4	22.2
• Not satisfied	1	100.0	0.0	0.0
Computer malfunction during the visit					.7093
• Yes	9	22.2	66.6	11.1
• No	134	34.3	50.7	9.0
Perception of doctor’s skill at using the computer					.7467
• Very skilled	23	46.2	46.1	5.1
• Skilled	39	27.6	54.1	10.2
• Somewhat skilled	98	33.3	53.3	13.3
View of own health					.9666
• Very good	48	29.2	64.6	6.3
• Good	91	33.0	52.7	11.0
• Poor	10	50.0	30.0	20.0
• Very poor	2	0.0	100.0	0.0
Perception of doctor’s attitude toward computer					.0012
• Very negative	4	0.0	50.0	50.0
• Somewhat negative	1	0.0	0.0	100.0
• Unsure	69	23.2	59.4	14.5
• Somewhat positive	38	34.2	50	13.2
• Very positive	48	52.1	45.8	2.1
Perception of resident’s attitude toward computer					< .001
• Very negative	1	0.0	100.0	0.0
• Somewhat negative	2	0.0	100.0	0.0
• Unsure	74	25.7	51.4	20.3
• Somewhat positive	33	27.3	66.7	6.1
• Very positive	43	53.5	46.5	0.0
Computer use at home					.9927
• Yes	118	35.6	53.4	6.8
• No	55	21.8	49.1	20.0
Computer use at work					.9879
• Yes	86	40.7	46.5	9.3
• No	67	19.4	58.2	14.9
Familiarity with computers					> .999
• Very familiar	66	40.9	48.5	6.1
• Somewhat familiar	68	33.8	52.3	12.3
• Not familiar	16	0.0	68.8	18.8
• Never used a computer	27	18.5	48.1	14.8
Age, y					.985
• < 20	2	50.0	0.0	50.0
• 20–39	23	21.7	65.2	8.7
• 40–65	102	38.2	49	10.8
• > 65	46	17.4	54.3	10.9
Sex					.8200
• Female	107	28.0	52.3	13.1
• Male	62	37.1	51.6	8.1
Ethnic background					.7739
• White	146	32.9	51.4	9.6
• Other	22	22.7	63.6	9.1
Level of education					.9932
• Completed grade school	15	33.3	40.0	13.3
• Completed high school	48	29.2	60.4	8.3
• Completed postsecondary education	61	27.9	52.5	13.1
• Completed postgraduate education	44	38.6	43.2	9.1

↵* Not all respondents answered all questions; percentages do not add to 100% owing to these missing data.

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Table 3.

Respondents’ views on the effects of computer use on different aspects of the patient-physician relationship: N = 161.

EFFECT OF COMPUTER USE	RESPONSES, %
EFFECT OF COMPUTER USE	VERY POSITIVE	POSITIVE	NO EFFECT	NEGATIVE	VERY NEGATIVE
Level of distraction of the doctor	8.6	10.9	61.1	6.9	1.1
How well the doctor listened	26.3	22.9	38.3	4.0	0.0
Doctor’s eye contact	23.4	24.0	33.7	8.0	0.6
Length of visit	18.3	29.7	38.3	2.3	0.6
Overall satisfaction with the visit	24.0	33.1	30.3	2.9	0.0
Ability to voice concerns to doctor	24.0	30.3	33.1	2.3	0.6
Ability of doctor to explain your conditions	26.3	30.9	31.4	1.7	0.0
Ability of doctor to write prescriptions	25.1	28.6	30.3	1.7	1.1
Access to laboratory information	15.4	31.4	34.3	0.0	0.0
Access to chart information	20.0	36.0	28.6	0.6	0.0
Privacy of information	21.7	20.6	36.6	2.3	1.1
Time spent chatting about nonmedical matters	11.4	18.3	54.3	4.6	0.6