Communicating laboratory test results for rheumatoid factor: what do patients and physicians want?

Objective: This study aimed to explore patient and physician perspectives on current laboratory test reporting practices and to elicit ideas for improvement.

Methods: Two independent studies were conducted. The first solicited members of an online physician community for opinions on current laboratory test reporting practices and possible improvements.

Correction of: Exploring Concordance of Patient-Reported Information on PatientsLikeMe and Medical Claims Data at the Patient Level.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.2196/jmir.5130.

Exploring Concordance of Patient-Reported Information on PatientsLikeMe and Medical Claims Data at the Patient Level.

Background: With the emergence of data generated by patient-powered research networks, it is informative to characterize their correspondence with health care system-generated data.

Objectives: This study explored the linking of 2 disparate sources of real-world data: patient-reported data from a patient-powered research network (PatientsLikeMe) and insurance claims.

Methods: Active patients within the PatientsLikeMe community, residing in the United States, aged 18 years or older, with a self-reported diagnosis of multiple sclerosis or Parkinson's disease (PD) were invited to participate during a 2-week period in December 2014.

Factors in Patient Empowerment: A Survey of an Online Patient Research Network.

Background: Providers and healthcare organizations have begun recognizing the importance of patient empowerment as a driver of patient-centered care. Unfortunately, most studies have investigated empowerment with single diseases. Identifying factors of empowerment across conditions and populations would enable a greater understanding of this construct.