RT Journal
A1 Robinson C, Flowers CW, Alperson BL, Norris KC
T1 HOpe
JF JAMA
JO JAMA
YR 1999
FD March 17
VO 281
IS 11
SP 988
OP 989
DO 10-1001/pubs.JAMA-ISSN-0098-7484-281-11-jbk0317
UL http://dx.doi.org/10-1001/pubs.JAMA-ISSN-0098-7484-281-11-jbk0317
AB 
To the Editor: Information technology has led to an
increase in the number of projects being developed to focus on
enhancing communication between health care professionals and
patients.1- 2 Despite the potential of the Internet and the
advances
in information technology to enhance medical care
for urban3 as well as rural disadvantaged persons, the
feasibility of electronic technology reaching this segment of the
population is unclear. To gain greater insight into this issue we
evaluated the information technology awareness and access among
patients at an inner-city county hospital clinic. Between December 1997
and February 1998, we randomly administered a 27-question survey
regarding awareness and access to specific informatics technologies to
patients receiving routine follow-up care in the outpatient general
medicine clinic at an urban medical center in Los Angeles, Calif.