Survey Of Technology Access In a Tertiary Neuroimmunology Center

Background: Mobile phones and computers could improve the conduct of clinical trials and the clinical care of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. It is unclear what types of technology patients seen in a typical tertiary care center are using; a better understanding thereof will inform whether it is practical to communicate with clinic and study patients electronically.

Objectives: To determine if patients at a typical neuroimmunology referral center have access to mobile phone and computer technologies.

Methods:  In a two-week period in late 2012, we asked consecutive patients at their appointments at the Johns Hopkins Neuroimmunology Clinic to complete a survey about access to technology and their attitudes towards using it to communicate with their physicians.

Results: The mean age of the 102 patients surveyed was 45.9 + 11.9 years. 85% of patients had a texting-capable mobile phone, and 57% had access to iPhone or Android smartphones. 95% of patients reported regular access to the internet via a computer, and 89% endorsed having and checking an e-mail account at least weekly. Only 3 of the 87 people with texting-capable mobile phones reported not regularly accessing both email and the web. Higher age was associated with lower odds of smartphone usage (OR per year older= 0.95, 95% CI 0.92, 0.99; p=0.007) and accessing the internet regularly (OR=0.91, 95% CI 0.83, 1.00; p=0.041) but was not meaningfully associated with e-mail use (OR=0.98, 95% CI 0.93, 1.03; p=0.45) or having a texting-capable mobile phone (OR=0.97, 95% CI 0.93, 1.02; p=0.25). 91% of patients would be willing to receive periodic communications from their doctor’s office, and 90% said they would report new symptoms using a smartphone, text messaging, or e-mail.

Conclusions: Few patients are unable or unwilling to electronically communicate with their providers.  Such communications may improve clinical care and the conduct of clinical trials for MS patients.