OAKLAND, CA – E-mail use between patients with diabetes and hypertension and their doctors resulted in improved quality of care scores, according to a study of patients in Kaiser Permanente’s Southern California region.

The study, which was published in the July issue of Health Affairs, observed 35,423 patients with diabetes, hypertension, or both. Researchers found that the use of secure patient-physician messaging in any two-month period was associated with statistically significant improvements in HEDIS (Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set) care measurements. Results included 2 to 6.5 percentage point improvements in glycemic, cholesterol and blood pressure screening and control.

“Putting patients and their data at the center of care allows Kaiser Permanente to improve health care quality, access and cost,” said George Halvorson, chairman and CEO, Kaiser Permanente. “This data proves that health IT can be a fundamental component of accomplishing those three critical goals.”

More than 556,000 secure patient-physician e-mail threads, containing more than 630,000 messages, were logged throughout the study. Patients initiated 85 percent of those threads, which researchers say shows that health IT is empowering patients to better manage their healthcare. Kaiser Permanente’s secure e-mail tool, called “E-mail my doctor,” is one of the most popular features of the My Health Manager comprehensive personal health record, according to officials.

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