Michael Vincent Boland, M.D., Ph.D. Glaucoma Center of Excellence Director of Information Technology, Wilmer Eye Institute Associate Professor of Ophthalmology Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine Baltimore, Maryland

Electronic Health Record Reminders Help Patients Adhere to Glaucoma Medications

MedicalResearch.com Interview with:

Michael Vincent Boland, M.D., Ph.D. Glaucoma Center of Excellence Director of Information Technology, Wilmer Eye Institute Associate Professor of Ophthalmology Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine Baltimore, Maryland

Dr. Boland

Michael Vincent Boland, M.D., Ph.D.
Glaucoma Center of Excellence
Director of Information Technology, Wilmer Eye Institute
Associate Professor of Ophthalmology
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Baltimore, Maryland

MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?

Response: Effective medications are available to treat glaucoma and prevent or stop vision loss.

Unfortunately, patients frequently do not use the eye drops as prescribed, oftentimes simply
because they forget to. Since patient medications are now managed via electronic health
records (EHRs), we built a system to deliver automated reminders to patients using the patient
portal to our EHR.

We found that the majority (75%, 66 of 88) of participants that received these reminders found them to be useful, and about half (47%, 41 of 88) the participants wanted to

continue using the reminders after the study ended

MedicalResearch.com: What should readers take away from your report?

Response: When used correctly, medications are effective in halting vision loss from glaucoma. EHR-linked reminders may be a new and convenient modality that lets patients link their up to date glaucoma medications to automated reminders and help them better manage their glaucoma.

MedicalResearch.com: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this work? 

Response: Future research needs to examine how such EHR-linked portals ultimately address patient adherence to their glaucoma medications. Additionally, further studies are required to determine the impact of such reminders on glaucoma-related vision outcomes

MedicalResearch.com: Is there anything else you would like to add?

Response:

It is important to implement such reminder systems that may easily help patients with glaucoma better manage their disease.

We have no relevant conflicts to report.

Citation:

Varadaraj V, Friedman DS, Boland MV. Association of an Electronic Health Record–Linked Glaucoma Medical Reminder With Patient Satisfaction. JAMA Ophthalmol. Published online December 13, 2018. doi:10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2018.6066 

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Last Updated on December 18, 2018 by Marie Benz MD FAAD