SynthesisJournal of medical Internet research2014
The effects on health behavior and health outcomes of Internet-based asynchronous communication between health providers and patients with a chronic condition: a systematic review.
Synthesis in Journal of medical Internet research, 2014. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT03511482 (An Open Feasibility Study to Investigate the Impact of A Digitally Delivered Asthma Service for Patients in Primary Care), which is not on this map. Cited by 63 papers, 12 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
An Open Feasibility Study to Investigate the Impact of A Digitally Delivered Asthma Service for Patients in Primary Care (IDEAL-001: Integrated Digitally EnhAnced Care for Long-term Conditions-001
Who cites it
63 citing papers in PubMed, 12 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 138 citations in OpenAlex.
- Virtual care pathways for people living with HIV: A mixed-methods systematic review.HIV medicine · 2025Pooled it
- Effectiveness and Acceptability of Asynchronous Digital Health in Asthma Care: Mixed Methods Systematic Review.Journal of medical Internet research · 2024Pooled it
- Impact of Asynchronous Electronic Communication-Based Visits on Clinical Outcomes and Health Care Delivery: Systematic Review.Journal of medical Internet research · 2021Pooled it
- Clinical Improvements by Telemedicine Interventions Managing Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes: Systematic Meta-review.Journal of medical Internet research · 2021Pooled it
- Digital and Mobile Technologies to Promote Physical Health Behavior Change and Provide Psychological Support for Patients Undergoing Elective Surgery: Meta-Ethnography and Systematic Review.JMIR mHealth and uHealth · 2020Pooled it
- Text Message Interventions for Physical Activity: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.American journal of preventive medicine · 2020Pooled it
- The Antecedents and Consequences of Health Care Professional-Patient Online Interactions: Systematic Review.Journal of medical Internet research · 2019Pooled it
- Electronic Systems for Patients to Report and Manage Side Effects of Cancer Treatment: Systematic Review.Journal of medical Internet research · 2019Pooled it
- Psychometric Properties of Patient-Facing eHealth Evaluation Measures: Systematic Review and Analysis.Journal of medical Internet research · 2017Pooled it
- Pooled it
- Patient and provider attitudes toward the use of patient portals for the management of chronic disease: a systematic review.Journal of medical Internet research · 2015Pooled it
- The effect of patient portals on quality outcomes and its implications to meaningful use: a systematic review.Journal of medical Internet research · 2015Pooled it
- Team-based digital communication reduced patient-initiated phone calls to the hospital and improved patient satisfaction after orthopedic surgery: a randomized controlled trial in 70 patients.Acta orthopaedica · 2024Trial
- Efficacy of an mHealth Behavior Change Intervention for Promoting Physical Activity in the Workplace: Randomized Controlled Trial.Journal of medical Internet research · 2023Trial
- Impact of Patient-Clinical Team Secure Messaging on Communication Patterns and Patient Experience: Randomized Encouragement Design Trial.Journal of medical Internet research · 2020Trial
- Effect of a Mobile Phone-Based Glucose-Monitoring and Feedback System for Type 2 Diabetes Management in Multiple Primary Care Clinic Settings: Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial.JMIR mHealth and uHealth · 2020Trial
- My Team of Care Study: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial of a Web-Based Communication Tool for Collaborative Care in Patients With Advanced Cancer.Journal of medical Internet research · 2017Trial
- Comparing effects in regular practice of e-communication and Web-based self-management support among breast cancer patients: preliminary results from a randomized controlled trial.Journal of medical Internet research · 2014Trial
- Digital health education and self-management support for adults with heart failure: a best-evidence summary of review-level evidence.Frontiers in public health · 2026Review
- Non-pharmacological symptom self-management in non-malignant chronic disease: A scoping review.African journal of primary health care & family medicine · 2025Article
3 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
3 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundIn support of professional practice, asynchronous communication between the patient and the provider is implemented separately or in combination with Internet-based self-management interventions. This interaction occurs primarily through electronic messaging or discussion boards. There is little evidence as to whether it is a useful tool for chronically ill patients to support their self-management and increase the effectiveness of interventions.
objectiveThe aim of our study was to review the use and usability of patient-provider asynchronous communication for chronically ill patients and the effects of such communication on health behavior, health outcomes, and patient satisfaction.
methodsA literature search was performed using PubMed and Embase. The quality of the articles was appraised according to the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) criteria. The use and usability of the asynchronous communication was analyzed by examining the frequency of use and the number of users of the interventions with asynchronous communication, as well as of separate electronic messaging. The effectiveness of asynchronous communication was analyzed by examining effects on health behavior, health outcomes, and patient satisfaction.
resultsPatients' knowledge concerning their chronic condition increased and they seemed to appreciate being able to communicate asynchronously with their providers. They not only had specific questions but also wanted to communicate about feeling ill. A decrease in visits to the physician was shown in two studies (P=.07, P=.07). Increases in self-management/self-efficacy for patients with back pain, dyspnea, and heart failure were found. Positive health outcomes were shown in 12 studies, where the clinical outcomes for diabetic patients (HbA1c level) and for asthmatic patients (forced expiratory volume [FEV]) improved. Physical symptoms improved in five studies. Five studies generated a variety of positive psychosocial outcomes.
conclusionsThe effect of asynchronous communication is not shown unequivocally in these studies. Patients seem to be interested in using email. Patients are willing to participate and are taking the initiative to discuss health issues with their providers. Additional testing of the effects of asynchronous communication on self-management in chronically ill patients is needed.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.