Worries about privacy or security may keep some patients from being honest about their medical history when they see their physician entering the information into a computer, according to a recent study in the Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association.
Medical privacy and security concerns involving electronic health records are prevalent among patients. The majority of patients — 83 percent — expect hospitals to use electronic health records, but only 53 percent said they trust the safety and security of EHRs, according to a poll by Morning Consult.
For this study, researchers used the 2012 Health Information National Trends Survey, in which 13 percent of patients reported withholding information out of concerns the information wouldn't be kept secure or secret. Analyzing the data against provider EHR adoption and controlling for several variables, researchers found a positive correlation between patients willfully withholding information and providers' use of EHRs.
While the findings suggest EHR-related privacy or security concerns may cause some patients to misrepresent their medical histories, the authors say the advantages of EHRs most likely outweigh this drawback. The researchers also recommend providers discuss EHR privacy and security with patients.
More articles on EHRs:
Study: Physician communication increases following EHR implementation
Study: EHRs slightly affect residency workflow
Dems join GOP in calls to investigate lack of interoperability in MU-funded EHRs