The Origin, Content, and Workload of E-mail Consultations

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Abstract
QUALITY HEALTH CARE depends on successful communication between physicians and patients. Successful communication improves the patient's understanding of the diagnosis and increases adherence with therapeutic recommendations and interventions.1,2 In addition to traditional face-to-face and telephone contact and mailed and faxed letters, rapid communication through e-mail is now widely available to patients and health care professionals.3 E-mail has a number of unique advantages. It can provide patients with a direct means of communicating with physicians and assure those patients that their messages are received.4,5 It can provide physicians with the ability to follow up or clarify advice that was provided during an outpatient visit or to direct patients to educational materials or other resources available on the Internet.6