Dive Brief:
- A new survey by Accenture finds that most patients want access to and control over their health care information, Healthcare IT News reports.
- Accenture surveyed 918 persons who were healthy and 1,093 who had a chronic illness such as asthma, arthritis, cancer, depression or diabetes.
- Researchers found that 69% of all respondents believe they have a right to access all their health care information, reports Modern Healthcare. Meanwhile, 87% said it was either "important" or "very important" that they have control of the health information.
Dive Insight:
While patients clearly want access to their data, 70% of chronically ill and 76% of healthy patients said they had never accessed their EHRs. According to Modern Healthcare, the survey's findings suggest a disconnect between patients' desire to control their health data and the availability of ways to do so. In a statement from Accenture, a practice leader there argues that individuals will have to take a more proactive role in managing their health and will need to demand transparency.