DOCTORS WANT MORE DATA, PATIENTS WANT MORE CONTROL

The security and privacy of personal medical information is one of the biggest concerns for patients. Over 80% of consumers rank it as very or extremely important. Privacy advocates see evolving technology as an effective way of increasing patient control over their electronic medical records (EMR). And a recent study seems to suggest that privacy advocates are right to be optimistic. The study, conducted by the Regenstrief Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, and Eskenazi’s Health, is the first real-world trial of patient controlled access to EMR. Of the 105 participating patients, 49% elected to withhold some informationcontained in their EMR from their healthcare providers.

Yet, while privacy advocates might celebrate such a result, the study also raises serious concerns for clinicians who believe that physicians need complete access to all of a patient’s information in order to deliver safe, high quality care. This is not to say that healthcare providers are not also optimistic about the role technology can play in improving patient care. Actually, 7 in ten providers believe that the Internet and mobile apps have the potential to help patients better manage their care. But, the study does highlight the tension between the importance of patient control and the ability of clinicians to deliver effective care.

Both privacy advocates and healthcare providers agree that technology can play a role in easing this tension. Currently, mobile applications and interactive websites are vastly underutilized by patients. Only 20% of consumers report using their smart phones or tablets to manage their health and healthcare. Seeing this underutilization, healthcare providers are looking to for technology, like programs that help patients manage their EMRs, to improve patient care. In fact, three quarters of healthcare providers expect their practice or hospital to increase IT investment over the next 5 years. And that’s reason for both privacy advocates and healthcare providers alike to be optimistic.

We believe that patient education and engaging the patient throughout the workflow process is a good way to help resolve this issue. The process of obtaining patient consent will be easier once the patient understands the benefits and risks of releasing their data in a language they can understand. For example, does a patient know what an EHR is? Or how their data traverses from doctor to doctor through an HIE? The healthcare industry is a world full of acronyms, and no, patient does not have to know everyone of them. At the very least, the patient should be informed about how their data is shared, and how it is secured in the doctor’s office. Patients want to be engaged and empowered. They have tools and the necessary technical skills to collaborate with their doctor more to improve their own health. Doctors face competition now from software vendors releasing mobile health applications and wearables on the market to allow consumers to gather their own health data. Doctors need to retain the patient’s trust in order gather more of their data. This can only be achieved through education and engagement. The patient should work with their doctor to understand their health in this Age of Information; patient consent is important.

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