Observational studyBMJ open2016
Effect of an evidence-based website on healthcare usage: an interrupted time-series study.
Observational study in BMJ open, 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. An erratum has been issued. Cited by 44 papers, 2 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.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
44 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Direct Access for Patients to Diagnostic Testing and Results Using eHealth: Systematic Review on eHealth and Diagnostics.Journal of medical Internet research · 2022Pooled it
- Credibility, Accuracy, and Comprehensiveness of Internet-Based Information About Low Back Pain: A Systematic Review.Journal of medical Internet research · 2019Pooled it
- Effect of a Consumer-Focused Website for Low Back Pain on Health Literacy, Treatment Choices, and Clinical Outcomes: Randomized Controlled Trial.Journal of medical Internet research · 2021Trial
- Patients' Use of the Internet to Find Reliable Medical Information About Minor Ailments: Vignette-Based Experimental Study.Journal of medical Internet research · 2019Trial
- Changes in headache outcomes after guided website-based headache education: a pilot study with Spanish schoolchildren.Journal of pediatric psychology · 2026Article
- Navigating chest pain online: who uses health information and what actions follow?BMC primary care · 2025Article
- Digital Divide in Awareness, Want, and Adoption Across Diverse eHealth Services: Cross-Sectional Survey of Inpatients in Jinan, China.Journal of medical Internet research · 2025Article
- What Large Language Models offer about Familial Mediterranean Fever: An Analysis of Quality, Readability, Completeness, and Accuracy.Mediterranean journal of rheumatology · 2025Article
- Association between internet usage and healthcare expenditure among middle-aged and older Chinese adults with chronic diseases: the role of self-rated health.BMC public health · 2025Article
- Facilitators of and Barriers to the Use of a Digital Self-Management Service for Diagnostic Testing: Focus Group Study With Potential Users.JMIR human factors · 2024Article
- Article
- Validation of the Gestational Diabetes Mellitus Knowledge Questionnaire (GDMKQ) among Filipino Patients in a Tertiary Medical Center.Journal of the ASEAN Federation of Endocrine Societies · 2024Article
- Study protocol for a nationwide implementation of internet-based vestibular rehabilitation for patients with chronic vestibular symptoms (I-RECOVER).Implementation science communications · 2023Article
- The quality of online information on Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease: can we do better?Archives of orthopaedic and trauma surgery · 2023Article
- Testing Multiple Methods to Effectively Promote Use of a Knowledge Portal to Health Policy Makers: Quasi-Experimental Evaluation.Journal of medical Internet research · 2023Article
- Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter 2 Inhibitors in Patients with Diabetes and Coronary Artery Disease: Translating the Benefits of the Molecular Mechanisms of Gliflozins into Clinical Practice.International journal of molecular sciences · 2023Article
- The Usability of Homelab, a Digital Self-service at a Dutch General Practice, for Diagnostic Tests: Pilot Study With a Questionnaire.JMIR formative research · 2023Article
- A Digital Lifestyle Coach (E-Supporter 1.0) to Support People With Type 2 Diabetes: Participatory Development Study.JMIR human factors · 2023Article
- Article
- The Web-Based Advance Care Planning Program "Explore Your Preferences for Treatment and Care": Development, Pilot Study, and Before-and-After Evaluation.Journal of medical Internet research · 2022Article
Corrections and comments
- Erratum issuedCorrection.2017
Authors and funding
7 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectivesHealthcare costs and usage are rising. Evidence-based online health information may reduce healthcare usage, but the evidence is scarce. The objective of this study was to determine whether the release of a nationwide evidence-based health website was associated with a reduction in healthcare usage.
designInterrupted time series analysis of observational primary care data of healthcare use in the Netherlands from 2009 to 2014.
settingGeneral community primary care. POPULATION: 912 000 patients who visited their general practitioners 18.1 million times during the study period.
interventionIn March 2012, an evidence-based health information website was launched by the Dutch College of General Practitioners. It was easily accessible and understandable using plain language. At the end of the study period, the website had 2.9 million unique page views per month. MAIN OUTCOMES MEASURES: Primary outcome was the change in consultation rate (consultations/1000 patients/month) before and after the release of the website. Additionally, a reference group was created by including consultations about topics not being viewed at the website. Subgroup analyses were performed for type of consultations, sex, age and socioeconomic status.
resultsAfter launch of the website, the trend in consultation rate decreased with 1.620 consultations/1000 patients/month (p<0.001). This corresponds to a 12% decline in consultations 2 years after launch of the website. The trend in consultation rate of the reference group showed no change. The subgroup analyses showed a specific decline for consultations by phone and were significant for all other subgroups, except for the youngest age group.
conclusionsHealthcare usage decreased by 12% after providing high-quality evidence-based online health information. These findings show that e-Health can be effective to improve self-management and reduce healthcare usage in times of increasing healthcare costs.
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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.