Patient use of secure electronic messaging within a shared medical record: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Most patients would like to be able to exchange electronic messages with personal physicians. Few patients and providers are exchanging electronic communications.

Objective: To evaluate patient characteristics associated with the use of secure electronic messaging between patients and health care providers.

Risks of congenital malformations and perinatal events among infants exposed to antidepressant medications during pregnancy.

Purpose: To evaluate risks for perinatal complications and congenital defects among infants exposed in utero to antidepressants.

Methods: We identified 2201 women who were prescribed an antidepressant during pregnancy and who delivered an infant within one of five large managed care organizations (HMO). Prescription drug dispensings and inpatient and outpatient diagnoses were obtained from automated databases at each HMO.

Medical care utilization patterns in women with diagnosed domestic violence.

Background: Information on women with domestic violence (DV) suggests increased healthcare utilization across all levels of care and many diagnoses. In the present ancillary study (1997-2002), derived from a large, group-randomized intervention trial we conducted in a staff-model health maintenance organization (HMO) (1995-1998), we examined total and incremental utilization rates, costs, and patterns for women aged >/=18 years with DV identified through the record reviews conducted for the trial. By the choice of comparison groups used, our present aim was to "bracket" any associated increase in utilization.