Survey finds lack of patient access to online records

Despite the increase in EHR adoption, more than half of patients cannot access their full health records electronically, according to a HealthMine survey.

The healthcare technology firm surveyed 502 U.S. consumers on their ability to access their health data online. Fifty-three percent said they can't access all their information and 74 percent said having easy electronic access to this information would improve their health knowledge and improve communication with their physicians.

Thirty percent said they have had trouble accessing their health data when they needed it, 32 percent have had difficulty accessing their record, 29 percent have had difficulty accessing their lab record and 25 percent have had difficulty accessing their prescription history.

"We should be long beyond the days where one doctor holds the chart and we don't get to see it—but we're not," said Bryce Williams, president and CEO of HealthMine, in a release. "Sitting in the driver's seat of health requires transparency of health data. Consumers must be able to see the road, the potholes, the landmarks. Having access to complete health information is essential to managing health and healthcare dollars—and every consumer should have it."