Dive Brief:
- In 2015, 95% of hospitals offered patients the ability to view health information electronically, 87% offered ability to download health information, and 69% offered ability to view, download, and transmit, according to new data from the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT.
- There are approximately seven times as many hospitals offering the ability to view, download, and transmit health information today than there were in 2012.
- At least 40% of all hospitals in any given state can offer patients the ability to electronically view, download, and transmit their health information.
Dive Insight:
The nation’s hospitals have come a long way in just a few short years. In 2012, only 24% of hospitals offered the ability to view health information electronically and only 10% offered the ability to view, download, and transmit health information electronically. Those numbers have since risen to 95% and 69%, respectively.
The HHS' Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has partnered with the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC) to create awareness around the right to access and control information. These numbers indicate a step in the right direction. However, having the components in place doesn’t mean they all work together. For the foreseeable future, ONC has its sights set on improving interoperability to make seamless health information exchange a reality.