In a clear demonstration of how the US Government has managed to progress public understanding – and presumably support for – the E-Health Agenda we have the following report.
Benefits of Electronic Health Records Seen as Outweighing Privacy Risks
By BECKEY BRIGHT
November 29, 2007 11:03 a.m.
A sizable majority of Americans believe electronic medical records have the potential to improve U.S. health care and that the benefits outweigh privacy risks, according to a new Wall Street Journal Online/Harris Interactive poll.
The survey of 2,153 U.S. adults, conducted Nov. 12-14, shows three-quarters of respondents agree that patients could receive better care if doctors and researchers were able to share information more easily via electronic systems and 63% agree sharing of such records could decrease medical errors. Fifty-five percent agree this could reduce health-care costs, compared with 15% who disagree. However, about one-quarter of adults remain unsure whether electronic medical records can provide these benefits.
About one-fourth of respondents say they currently use some form of electronic medical record; most say the record is kept by their physician, while only 2% say they have created and maintain their own record and another 17% said they aren't sure whether they have such a record. Still, 91% of those polled say patients should have access to their own electronic records maintained by their physician.
Among those who have an electronic medical record, half say they are very confident that their physicians and other health-care providers have a complete and accurate picture of their medical history, compared with 27% of those who don't have electronic records.
Better use of technology to improve the U.S. health-care system isn't a new idea, but the issue is likely to become part of the health-care debate during the 2008 presidential campaign. In a speech laying out his plans, Sen. John McCain suggested Web technology could have helped Hurricane Katrina victims get medical help. And in an editorial earlier this month, Sen. John Kerry and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich urged the use of using e-prescriptions, rather than paper ones, to reduce medication errors. Microsoft recently announced plans to launch a consumer Web site to store and share health information.
But the use of electronic medical records has hit roadblocks over privacy concerns and doctors' resistance to the potential time and financial costs of transferring paper records online. And the latest poll indicates these privacy concerns remain: half of those surveyed say the use of electronic medical records makes it more difficult to ensure patients' privacy, down from 61% in a 2006 poll, while 25% disagree and another quarter say they aren't sure. But nearly two-thirds of respondents say the benefits of electronic medical records outweigh the privacy risks, compared with 40% who think they don't.
Read the details of the complete results here:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB119565244262500549.html
This is really a fascinating and important outcome which prepares the way for further intervention in E-Health from both the US Federal and individual State governments.
It is also interesting that compared with previous surveys there is distinct positive movement in the attitude to E-Health and a gradual decrease in the concerns regarding privacy found in the survey.
Given this turnaround has required a sustained effort over three to four years (at least) there is no time to be wasted by the incoming government in Australia in getting rolling on the needed public communications and educations campaign while the technological solutions are defined and developed.
The bottom line is that with some leadership from the top big steps can be made!
David
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