Patients are well ahead of providers in their willingness and ability to use health information technology, while provider health IT systems lag behind, according to a report from the Optum Institute.
In June 2012, the Optum Institute surveyed physicians, hospital executives and adult consumers on health IT and patient-centered care. The Optum Institute works in partnership with consumers, health professionals, hospitals, employers, governments, health plans, and the life sciences industry, to help transform health care delivery. The most notable findings include:
• Physicians are quickly adopting health IT, but their adoption of functions that facilitate patient engagement lag.
• While 70 percent of physicians have at least basic electronic health record capabilities, only 40 percent of physicians currently have EHRs that support email or patient access to health records.
• Sixty-five percent of patients want appointment reminders via email, but only 44 percent of physicians have EHR systems that provide follow-up or screening reminders.
• Sixty-two percent of patients want to correspond online with their primary physician about their health, but only 46 percent of physicians have EHR systems capable of communicating patient-specific information to help patients make decisions about their health.
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In June 2012, the Optum Institute surveyed physicians, hospital executives and adult consumers on health IT and patient-centered care. The Optum Institute works in partnership with consumers, health professionals, hospitals, employers, governments, health plans, and the life sciences industry, to help transform health care delivery. The most notable findings include:
• Physicians are quickly adopting health IT, but their adoption of functions that facilitate patient engagement lag.
• While 70 percent of physicians have at least basic electronic health record capabilities, only 40 percent of physicians currently have EHRs that support email or patient access to health records.
• Sixty-five percent of patients want appointment reminders via email, but only 44 percent of physicians have EHR systems that provide follow-up or screening reminders.
• Sixty-two percent of patients want to correspond online with their primary physician about their health, but only 46 percent of physicians have EHR systems capable of communicating patient-specific information to help patients make decisions about their health.
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