A new survey from HEALTHeLink, a clinical information exchange based in Buffalo, New York, took a closer look at consumers’ thoughts on electronic health records.
The survey was conducted via phone in September 2017 among 1,000 individuals in Western New York.
The results? Ninety percent indicated they knew their physician uses EHRs.
Patients also seem relatively informed about providers exchanging information. Eighty-eight percent of respondents said they were aware their doctor use EHRs to send and receive medical information to and from other physicians involved in their care.
Despite staying in the know, consumers have mixed feelings about EHRs. Of respondents, 51 percent said they believe EHRs make healthcare “more safe.” Eighteen percent said the technology makes healthcare “less safe,” and 24 percent believe EHRs make “no impact.”
Interestingly, among those who visit a doctor more than 15 times per year, 57 percent said EHRs make healthcare “more safe.”
A Deep-dive Into Specialty Pharma
A specialty drug is a class of prescription medications used to treat complex, chronic or rare medical conditions. Although this classification was originally intended to define the treatment of rare, also termed “orphan” diseases, affecting fewer than 200,000 people in the US, more recently, specialty drugs have emerged as the cornerstone of treatment for chronic and complex diseases such as cancer, autoimmune conditions, diabetes, hepatitis C, and HIV/AIDS.
Safety aside, electronic health records undoubtedly have their downfalls. It’s practically become a mantra that EHRs take up too much of physicians’ time. A study from the University of Wisconsin and the American Medical Association found that the average primary care physician spends 5.9 hours out of their 11.4-hour workday in the EHR.
Yet the majority of consumers don’t seem to think EHRs are a timesuck. Sixty percent of respondents said “no” when asked if their provider spends too much time on a computer during their visit.
Thirty-seven percent said “yes” when asked the same question. Perhaps unsurprisingly, that amount rose to 47 percent among individuals who visit a doctor five times per year.
As far as patient portals are concerned, 72 percent of consumers said they were aware that their primary care physician has a patient portal. Of those respondents who were aware, 56 percent said they used the portal. This, according to the survey, means that about 41 percent of all the respondents used their patient portal.
Photo: Ian Hooton, Getty Images
