BACKGROUND: International health organizations and officials are bracing for a pandemic. Although the 2003 severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak in Toronto did not reach such a level, it created a unique opportunity to identify the optimal use of the Internet to promote communication with the public and to preserve health services during an epidemic. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to explore patients’ attitudes regarding the health services that might be provided...

BACKGROUND: Internet-based interactive websites for patient communication (patient portals) may improve communication between patients and their clinics and physicians. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to assess the impact of a patient portal on patients’ satisfaction with access to their clinic and clinical care. Another aim was to analyze the content and volume of email messages and telephone calls from patients to their clinic. METHODS: This was a randomized controlled trial...

BACKGROUND: The availability of Internet-based continuing medical education is rapidly increasing, but little is known about recruitment of physicians to these interventions. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to examine predictors of physician participation in an Internet intervention designed to increase screening of young women at risk for chlamydiosis. METHODS: Eligibility was based on administrative claims data, and eligible physicians received recruitment letters via fax and/or...

BACKGROUND: Web-based behavior change interventions often include rich media (eg, video, audio, and large graphics). The rationale for using rich media includes the need to reach users who are not inclined or able to use text-based website content, encouragement of program engagement, and following the precedent set by news and sports websites. OBJECTIVES: We describe the development of a bandwidth usage index, which seeks to provide a practical method to gauge the extent to which websites...