This appeared last week:
National hospital data shows patients not accessing EHRs
December 16, 2019, 12:05 a.m. EST
While more than 95 percent of patients discharged from hospitals were able to view, download and transmit their electronic health records, just 10 percent actually used the information, according to national hospital data.
A study published in the journal Health Affairs leveraged nationwide data from 2,410 hospitals and found that patient use of EHRs was disproportionately low across all hospital types—although access rates were highest among system-member, teaching and for-profit hospitals.
“In contrast, access rates were lower for hospitals in the highest quartile for disproportionate share hospital status and for hospitals located in counties with high proportions of residents who were dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid; use rates were lower for hospitals in counties with a high proportion of residents who were dually eligible, lacked computer or internet access or were Hispanic,” state the study’s authors.
Researchers from Portland State University and the University of California San Francisco contend that policy efforts have failed to engage a large proportion of patients in the use of their EHR data or to bridge the “digital divide” that is associated with healthcare disparities.
More here:
Here is the abstract:
Are Patients Electronically Accessing Their Medical Records? Evidence From National Hospital Data
PUBLISHED: November 2019 No Access
Substantial policy effort has been directed at improving patients’ ability to access and use electronic health records. Using nationwide data from 2,410 hospitals for the period 2014–16, we examined associations between patient- and hospital-level characteristics and access to and use of electronic health record data among discharged patients. On average, hospitals gave 95 percent of discharged patients access to view, download, and transmit their information, but only about 10 percent of those with access used it—levels that were stagnant during the study period. Access rates were highest among system-member, teaching, and for-profit hospitals. In contrast, access rates were lower for hospitals in the highest quartile for disproportionate share hospital status and for hospitals located in counties with high proportions of residents who were dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid; use rates were lower for hospitals in counties with a high proportion of residents who were dually eligible, lacked computer or internet access, or were Hispanic. Overall, our findings suggest that policy efforts have failed to engage a large proportion of patients in the electronic use of their data or to bridge the “digital divide” that accompanies health care disparities. Additional—possibly targeted—policy incentives, as well as higher thresholds for meeting the requirements of the Promoting Interoperability Program, merit policy makers’ consideration.
Here is the link:
Basically, as we are seeing in Australia from the blog of the 22nd December, 2019 the plans to engage the public with the health via EHRs do not appear to work at all well – especially for the cost of billions of dollars.
A fundamental rethink would seem to be warranted – evidence-based policy and all that you know!
David.
1 comment:
Shame there was no stories from the general population. I wonder if much of this is a result of:
Very good conversations with patients that leaves them informed enough and satisfied with what is required?
Medical records and the information contained are simple not that interesting or readable to a majority?
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