How patients write portal messages may affect whether doctors respond
Portal messages have become a routine way for patients to communicate with their health care teams. But a new study from Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health suggests that how patients write those messages can play a key role in whether—and by whom—they receive a response. The findings are published in JAMA Network Open.
Patients writing messages through their healthcare portal may impact whether and from whom their messages receive a response, according to a study from Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health. The study, published in JAMA Network Open, analyzed over 3.6 million patient portal message threads and found that historically marginalized patients, such as nonwhite individuals, those who prefer languages other than English, low-educated patients, and Medicaid/Medicare dual-eligible patients, were less likely to receive responses from care teams and the intended clinicians.
The study suggests that message writing style, including factors like length, formality, sentiment, and opening, accounted for nearly half of the differences in response rates across various demographic and insurance groups. The findings highlight potential bias in message triage processes and emphasize the need for health systems to develop more equitable approaches to digital communication.
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