Engaging and informing patients: Health information technology use in community health centers

Abstract

ObjectiveThis paper aims to address the relationship between the community health center (CHC) patient mix and the level of patient engagement health information technology (HIT) comprehensiveness. ParticipantsThe study was conducted on sample CHCs (n = 3,592 CHC-years) active between 2016 and 2018. MethodsPatient engagement HIT comprehensiveness was measured based on a framework of patient engagement through HIT that includes a two-part dichotomy of patient engagement and patient informing. Univariate analysis was used to describe CHC characteristics and multivariable ordered logistic regression analysis was used to test hypothesized relationships. ResultsThe study identified four levels of patient engagement HIT comprehensiveness: 1) to neither engage nor inform, 2) to primarily inform, 3) to primarily engage, and 4) to engage and inform. It was found that CHCs serving disproportionate shares of patients with disadvantageous socioeconomic characteristics are less likely to incorporate more comprehensive patient engagement HIT. ConclusionThe results highlight the different levels of patient engagement HIT use among CHCs and a negative association between CHC’s higher proportion of patients with a disadvantageous sociodemographic background and patient engagement HIT comprehensiveness.