"We got mail": Electronic communication between physicians and patients

E-mail has the potential to improve both the quality and efficiency of heal thcare service delivery. Despite the substantial growth of this form of com munication over the past decade, its promise to patients, providers, and th eir health plans remains largely untapped. In this article we (1) review th e literature on e-mail use between patients and providers; (2) identify cha llenges and opportunities facing managed care organizations that wish to ma ximize the potential of this form of communication; (3) describe the compon ents of 2 systems aimed at enhancing e-mail use in clinical settings; and ( 4) discuss the implications of increased e-mail use for managed care.