MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Vishal A Shetty, MS, PhD Candidate
Center for Pharmacy and Innovation Outcomes, Geisinger
University of Massachusetts Amherst

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

Response: With more U.S. states moving toward the legalization of medical and recreational cannabis, recent studies have explored electronic health record (EHR) documentation to understand the nature of cannabis use among patient populations. However, these efforts have not been extended to patient portal messaging, which allows patients to describe health-related behaviors in ways that may not be sufficiently captured in standard EHR documentation.

The primary objective of this study was to identify patient and provider secure messages that discussed cannabis and contextualize these discussions over periods prior to and after its legalization for medical purposes in Pennsylvania.

 MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings?

Response: The study found that prior to legalization, patients and providers primarily discussed cannabis in the context of a patient’s positive toxicology screening result, with patients often denying use or expressing concern around the consequences of the positive result. After legalization, discussions were driven by patients expressing interest in use, with providers split in their general sentiment around recommending use.

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

Response: In states that have recently or will soon legalize medical cannabis, it should be expected that patients will express their interest in use, and patient portal messaging may be a primary vehicle for driving these discussions. It will be necessary for health systems to support providers with updated guidelines on cannabis use for medical conditions, and providers must be prepared to communicate this information over channels such as patient portal messages to respond to patient inquiries with appropriate and accurate information.

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

Response: Additional research is needed to understand the possible role patient portal messaging plays in facilitating or hindering cannabis-related discussions, and the nature of these discussions in states with legalized recreational cannabis use.

No disclosures related to this study.

Citation:  Shetty VA, Gregor CM, Tusing LD, Pradhan AM, Romagnoli KM, Piper BJ, Wright EA. Discussions of Cannabis Over Patient Portal Secure Messaging: Content Analysis. J Med Internet Res. 2024 Dec 12;26:e63311. Center for Pharmacy Innovation and Outcomes, Geisinger, Danville, PA Department of Health Promotion and Policy University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA.
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11671783/