Skip Navigation

This Article
Right arrow Full Text Freely available
Right arrow FREE Full Text (PDF) Freely available
Right arrow E-letters: Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when E-letters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in ISI Web of Science
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Search for citing articles in:
ISI Web of Science (5)
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Zdanuk, S
Right arrow Articles by Minuk, G.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Zdanuk, S
Right arrow Articles by Minuk, G.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

Family Practice Vol. 18, No. 6, 602-604
© Oxford University Press 2001

Original Paper

The impact of medical informatics on the confidence of rural physicians caring for patients with chronic hepatitis C viral infections

S Zdanuk, J Gimpel, J Uhanova, KDE Kaita and GY Minuk

Liver Diseases Unit, Department of Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.

Dr GY Minuk, Liver Diseases Unit, John Buhler Research Centre, 803F-715 McDermot Avenue, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3E 3P4, Canada.

Objective. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether CD-based medical informatics enhances rural physicians' confidence in the management of patients with chronic hepatitis C viral infections.

Methods. A total of 385 Canadian rural physicians were mailed a CD-based medical software programme that outlines all aspects of HCV care including diagnosis, counselling, treatment and follow-up. Accompanying the CD was a brief questionnaire that addressed physicians' confidence in the following areas: (i) identifying HCV patients in their practice; (ii) laboratory use and interpretation; (iii) patient counselling; (iv) selection of candidates for treatment; (v) sharing treatment delivery; and (vi) providing follow-up. Three months thereafter, the same questionnaire was repeated.

Results. Of the 385 mailings, 59 (15%) physicians returned the initial questionnaire and 57 (15%) the follow-up questionnaire. Twenty-five (44%) respondents indicated they had used the CD. Baseline physician confidence was low in three of the six areas addressed. At follow-up, in addition to now being confident in all areas, CD users were significantly more confident than those who had not used the CD. Increases in physician confidence for CD users were ~150–300% in the six areas addressed. The value assigned the CD programme was 8/10.

Conclusion. The results of this study indicate that: (i) rural physicians are uncomfortable in dealing with many aspects of HCV management; (ii) CD-ROM-based medical informatics can significantly enhance rural physicians' confidence in these areas; (iii) ~50% of physicians will employ CD-ROM-based medical informatics in their offices; and (iv) physician level of satisfaction with such programmes is high.

Keywords. CD-ROMs, health care, hepatitis C, medical education, medical informatics, rural medicine.


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 QJMHome page
R.F.C. d'Souza, M.J. Glynn, E. Alstead, C. Osonayo, and G.R. Foster
Knowledge of chronic hepatitis C among East London primary care physicians following the Department of Health's educational campaign
QJM, June 1, 2004; 97(6): 331 - 336.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Disclaimer: Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.