Markle: Physicians, public have similar hopes for health IT
The majorities of the U.S. public and doctors share many of the same hopes for advancing health through IT, according to a recently released survey report from the Markle Foundation.
A total of 1,582 members of the general population completed an online survey that the New York City-based healthcare nonprofit organization conducted from Aug. 10 to Aug. 24, 2010. In addition, 779 physicians participated via an online opt-in panel.
Many doctors and patients surveyed believe key information is lost in their healthcare conversations, according to the Markle report. “Ninety-four percent of the physicians said their patients at least sometimes forgot or lost track of potentially important things they are told,” the report’s authors stated.
Roughly 75 percent of physicians reported they want to be able to share patient information with other professionals electronically. Roughly half prefer computer-based means to share information with their patients. About 70 percent of the public and 65 percent of physicians surveyed agreed that patient should be able to download and keep copes of their personal health information, the report stated.
Similar proportions of the public (61 percent) and physicians (63 percent) said patients should be able to view their information at a secure web site online, the report stated.
Yet 41 percent of the public reported that they never ask their doctors for copies of their information, and 83 percent of the public said they never ask for their information in electronic format. "The vast majority of the physicians said requests from patients for information in electronic format occurred either rarely (24 percent) or never (67 percent)," the report stated.
At least 74 percent of the physicians surveyed would prefer computer-based means (electronic networks, secure email or portable storage devices) of sharing patient information with each other, although only 17 percent use such methods today as their predominant means of sharing patient information.
Sixty-one percent of physicians said that the fax machine is their predominant means to share information with other doctors, but only 17 percent called the fax their preferred option.
According to the report, roughly 80 percent majorities of both the public and physicians agree it is important to require participating hospitals and doctors to share information to better coordinate care, cut unnecessary costs and reduce medical errors.
Other key findings include:
A total of 1,582 members of the general population completed an online survey that the New York City-based healthcare nonprofit organization conducted from Aug. 10 to Aug. 24, 2010. In addition, 779 physicians participated via an online opt-in panel.
Many doctors and patients surveyed believe key information is lost in their healthcare conversations, according to the Markle report. “Ninety-four percent of the physicians said their patients at least sometimes forgot or lost track of potentially important things they are told,” the report’s authors stated.
Roughly 75 percent of physicians reported they want to be able to share patient information with other professionals electronically. Roughly half prefer computer-based means to share information with their patients. About 70 percent of the public and 65 percent of physicians surveyed agreed that patient should be able to download and keep copes of their personal health information, the report stated.
Similar proportions of the public (61 percent) and physicians (63 percent) said patients should be able to view their information at a secure web site online, the report stated.
Yet 41 percent of the public reported that they never ask their doctors for copies of their information, and 83 percent of the public said they never ask for their information in electronic format. "The vast majority of the physicians said requests from patients for information in electronic format occurred either rarely (24 percent) or never (67 percent)," the report stated.
At least 74 percent of the physicians surveyed would prefer computer-based means (electronic networks, secure email or portable storage devices) of sharing patient information with each other, although only 17 percent use such methods today as their predominant means of sharing patient information.
Sixty-one percent of physicians said that the fax machine is their predominant means to share information with other doctors, but only 17 percent called the fax their preferred option.
According to the report, roughly 80 percent majorities of both the public and physicians agree it is important to require participating hospitals and doctors to share information to better coordinate care, cut unnecessary costs and reduce medical errors.
Other key findings include:
- Roughly 4 in 5 of both groups express the importance of privacy protections as a requirement to ensure that public investment in health IT will be well spent.
- At least 85 percent of the public and 36 percent of physicians described themselves as not very or not at all familiar with the health IT incentives program, which makes subsidies available for doctors and hospitals to increase use of IT.