Advancements in the Treatment of Psoriasis: Role of Biologic Agents

OBJECTIVES: To determine the extent to which primary care physicians have been willing to incorporate computerized protocols and clinical information systems into their practices. DESIGN: A survey was fielded to both primary care and non hospital-based specialty group practices of five physicians or more. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The types of these technologies in use and the degree to which the physicians themselves were active users. RESULTS: Findings (n=197 or a 38% response rate) are presented grouped by three stages of software application adoption: (1) transaction; (2) decision support; and (3) expert systems or simulation of human thought. Transaction systems, particularly applications that support practice administration such as registration, billing, and scheduling, have the highest percentage of adoption (82% to 97%). Expert systems are uncommon (3% to 6%), with slightly higher penetration of telephone triage (such as "ask-a-nurse") and prevention reminders applications (11 % and 19%, respectively). Within group practices, physician "hands-on" use of systems is low for viewing (28%), and even lower for entering patient information (6% to 8%). CONCLUSIONS: Emerging knowledge technologies such as medical decision support or expert systems are not widely accepted and may even threaten traditional physician domains of expertise. Explicit consideration of potential physician opposition should be included in planning pharmaceutical management strategies that depend on "hands-on" physician computer use to be successful.