Multifunctional Online Medical Record Use and Patient Empowerment: Examining the Mediating Role of Patient-Centered Communication Across the Life Span in the Greater China Region

The Greater China region represents the fastest-growing market for online medical records (OMR) implementation. However, the implications of these technologies for patient-centered care remain unclear. This study examined the relationships among different types of OMR usage (online patient–provider interactions, health information management, self-health management, and decision-making), patient-centered communication (PCC), and patient empowerment using a national sample (N = 6,271) of patients from Mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macao. Results revealed that OMR usage for online patient–provider interactions, self-health management, and decision-making was associated with patient empowerment among younger (18–34) and middle-aged (35–59) cohorts, with PCC mediating these relationships. eHealth literacy (eHL) moderated the relationship between self-health management and PCC in younger and middle-aged cohorts, while also moderating the association between decision-making and PCC across all age cohorts. Framed within the ecological model of health communication and life span perspectives, these findings suggest that future OMR studies would benefit from more nuanced and dialectical approaches. Practical implications are also discussed.