1. The Aga Khan University, Health Sciences Research Assembly March 15-17, 2005 Poster presentation by: Khawaja Mustafa & Azra Qureshi FHS Library, Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan. Abstract Keywords: Information retrieval, Internet, Email, Health Information. Introduction: The World Health Organization Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean conducted a survey as part of its efforts to assess needs of physicians for health and biomedical information on the Internet. The survey was conducted in Pakistan by Azra Qureshi and Khawaja Mustafa, results of this survey were presented at the WHO EMRO 4th Regional Conference on Virtual Health Sciences Library at Cairo in November, 2004. The poster presents a summary of the findings of the survey. Findings: The survey was conducted in Pakistan to assess the information needs and use of Internet and email by physicians, for this purpose a survey questionnaire designed by WHO EMRO regional office was circulated in cities of Pakistan, In all 130 survey forms were distributed. 110 forms were received back and 107 forms are included in the survey. 68% of the respondents belonged to the city of Karachi; 76 male and 31 female physicians. Most of the users used the Internet and e-mail from their homes and secondly from their offices; only 23% used internet or e-mail from their clinical areas; even a lesser 19% used these services from their medical colleges. Only 2% used their libraries for internet and e-mail access. 42% physicians used internet or e-mail daily while only 1% had never used internet or email. - 9% physicians used internet or email 2 hours or less per week, and 28% used it 3 to 5 hours; 15% used it for 6 to 8 hours per week. 73% physicians agreed that there is a Hospital Information System (HIS) at their place of work and 65% physicians had access to the (HIS). 87% physicians had their personal email accounts and 12% had their personal websites. 60% physicians rarely or never used the email to send and receive messages from patients regarding medical issues. Only 27% physicians used the email to respond to a general question from a patient. 75% physicians used e-mail to send and receive messages from professional colleagues on medically related issues. 70% physicians used internet or e-mail to conduct research for information relevant to a specific patients case. 89% physicians used internet or email to search for information for CME, 2% searched information related to their special interest or specialty. 39% physicians used intranet or email to access laboratory, x-ray, CTScan, etc. results on current patients. Comments by Physicians about email communications between patients and physicians: “Very good way of transmission of information and education material”. Survey Results : Use of Internet or EmailVery OftenOftenSometimesRarelyNeverDon't Know 1. To send and receive email messages directly to patients regarding medical issues. 10 9.52% n=105 14 13.33% 16 15.23% 13 12.38% 52 49.52% - 2. To respond to a general question from a patient. 3 2.94% n=102 10 9.80% 16 15.68% 18 17.64% 55 53.92% - 3. To respond to an inquiry from an individual who is not currently your patient 8 7.84% n= 102 9 8.82% 16 15.58% 23 22.54% 46 45.09% 1 0.98% 4. To send and receive email messages from professional colleagues on medically related issues. 16 15.53% n= 103 36 34.95% 25 24.27% 14 13.59% 12 11.65% - 5. To conduct research for information relevant to a specific patient’s case 20 19.80% n=101 32 31.68% 19 18.81% 16 15.84% 12 11.88% 2 1.98% 6. To search for information for continuous medical education. 36 36% n=100 38 38% 15 15% 7 7% 4 4% - 7. To search for information of special interest or in own specialty. 42 40% n= 105 44 41.90% 11 10.47% 8 7.61% -- 8. To access laboratory, x-ray, CT scan, etc results on current patients 13 12.87% n= 101 11 10.89% 15 14.85% 26 25.74% 33 32.67% 3 2.97% 9. To send e-mail to patients regarding prevention, health education or disease management care 3 2.88% n=104 12 11.53% 15 14.42% 18 17.30% 56 53.84% - 10. To send e-mail messages to office staff. 13 12.74% n= 102 20 19.60% 20 19.60% 15 14.70% 34 33.33% - 11. To send e-mail messages to colleagues 34 33% n =103 33 32.03% 22 21.35% 6 5.82% 8 7.76% - 12. To send e-mail messages to friends and/or relatives. 47 45.63% 29 28.15% 20 19.41% 3 2.91% 5 4.85% - 13. To receive e-mail form pharmaceutical companies 5 5% n= 100 6 6% 21 21% 14 14% 54 54% - 14. To receive e-mail messages from vendors or other suppliers 4 3.88% n= 103 11 10.67% 13 12.62% 16 15.53% 57 55.33% 2 1.94% “It is good to have email”. “Email is best way of communication between physician and patient because they can be in contact even if they are not living in same country or same city”. 1.Email is not established as a means of communication b/w physicians and patients. 2. Internet is being intensively used by physicians for collection of CME and specialty information. 3. Majority of physicians (86%) use email to communicate with colleagues. 4. Internet and email are mainly being used by physicians for professional development and personal communication. 5. 65% Internet and email using physicians are below 40 years age. 6. The physician and patient communication via email is not popular because only 1% of Pakistan’s population is user of internet and email. Section 1. Background “Personal Information”. 1. What is Your Age: 25-30 years =35.51% 31-40 years = 30.84% 41-50 years = 25.23% 51-60 years = 5.60% Over 60 years =1.86% 2. What is Your Country of Residence? Which City? Pakistan: 104 respondents Cities Karachi :73 Physicians, Rawalpindi & Islamabad 8, Lahore 1, Kohat 1, Peshawar 18, Hyderabad 2, Shikarpur 1, Kabul (Afghanistan) 1, ( 3 respondents did not answer this question). 3. Sex: 76 male &31 female physicians responded. 4. Please indicate your medical specialization: Radiology 10Pediatrics 5 Gastroenterology 6 Neurosurgery 1 Plastic Surgery 1Surgery & Primary Care 1 ENT 3Otolaryngology 1 Internal Medicine 5Community Medicine 1 Nephrology 1Obstetrics & Gynecology 6 Orthopedics 1Ophthalmology 1 Nuclear Medicine 1Medicine 3 Medical Microbiology 1,Postgraduate Student 1 Forensic Pathology 1Neurology 3 Anatomy 1Biochemistry 1 Pulmonology 3Epidemiology 1 Physiology 2 5. Please indicate your functional role (check all that apply). 67 Physicians = 62.61% Practitioners 13 Physicians = 12.14% Managers 48 Physicians = 44.85% Educator 19 physicians = 17.75% Other category. 6. What type of medical Practice do you do? (check all that apply) Private Clinic 16= 14.95% Public Hospital 14= 13.08% Private Hospital 20= 18.69% Military Hospital 01= 0.93% Teaching Hospital 70= 65.42% Medical College 27= 25.23% Primary Healthcare Centre 02= 1.86% Section two: Use of Internet/E-mail 7. From where do you access Internet (check all that apply) From Home81= 75.70% From your office37= 34.57% From a clinical work area25= 23.36% From medical college21= 19.62% From Internet Café09= 8.41% Other, Library02= 1.86% 8. How often do you log on to the Internet or e-mail? Nos. of respondents Daily45= 42.05% Twice a week17= 15.88% 3 or 4 times per week18= 16.82% 5 or 6 times per week14= 13.08% Rarely08= 7.47% Never01= 0.93%