EVALUATING SECURE MESSAGING FROM THE VETERAN PERSPECTIVE: INFORMING THE ADOPTION AND SUSTAINED USE OF A PATIENT‐DRIVEN COMMUNICATION PLATFORM. Issue 2 (November 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Haun, Jolie N.; Lind, Jason D.; Shimada, Stephanie L.; Simon, Steven R.; Besterman‐Dahan, Karen; Hamilton, Alison
• Is Part Of: Annals of anthropological practice. Volume 37:Issue 2(2013)
• Page Start: 57
• Page End: 74
• Publication Date: 2013-11
• Subjects: Anthropology -- Periodicals; Anthropologists -- United States -- Periodicals; 301.05
• DOI: 10.1111/napa.12029
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2153-957X

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <p>Secure messaging (SM) is a secured asynchronous electronic e‐mail system within the Veterans Health Administration web‐based patient portal, My Health <bold>e</bold>Vet. This electronic tool is part of a national transformation initiative to create new models of care to support patient‐provider communication and promote self‐care management. SM is designed to empower patients to communicate with their providers, but to date little research has evaluated Veterans' perspectives on using SM as a communication tool. This article provides an overview of a qualitative mixed‐methods study with 33 Veterans who opted‐in to use SM. We used a combination of in‐depth interviews, user‐testing, three‐month review of secondary SM data, and three‐month follow‐up phone interviews to understand Veterans' experiences using SM. Synthesizing these data, we identified high‐ and low‐volume users and characterized their reasons for using or not using SM. These profiles illustrate the Veteran perspective, enabling clinicians, administrators, and other stakeholders to understand how to adapt marketing and educational strategies and make system changes to promote and facilitate Veteran adoption and sustained use of SM as a communication tool.</p> </abstract>