News
Public support for health record banking
7 March 2008
A survey of over a million healthcare 'consumers' in the US has shown
that over two thirds would welcome a health record banking system.
Described as a central repository, a health record banking service
provides a private and secure location for each person to store their
medical records from all sources via a deposit/withdrawal process. Upon enrollment into the system, individual consumers can deposit or withdraw
medical records as well as control what data can be viewed by various
clinical providers.
The Louisville Health Information Exchange, Inc. (LouHIE) in the US, a nonprofit community organisation based in Louisville,
Kentucky, in association
with the Noblis Center for Health Innovation, assessed the readiness
of 1.2 million consumers, their healthcare providers and related health
information product and services (HIPS) firms to support a
community-wide health record banking system.
A telephone-based survey, which was conducted in August and September of 2007,
has identified
several common themes pertaining to overall community interest in
participating in a health record banking (HRB) service. These include
the need for a trusted not-for-profit community organisation to
establish the service, a trusted environment, as well as privacy and
security.
The research showed that 69% of consumers
would value a health record bank type of service, provided their
doctors supported it. Twenty-four percent said they would pay an
average of $5.00 per month for an account.
Adding value to the
telephone-based results, focus-group research found that most
consumers would like the choice to opt-in to the service and decide what
information to view; understood the benefits of sharing clinical
information; have a desire to make sharing easier; and a need to trust
the service.
"The research concludes that health-record banking is an interesting
choice that could be supported by most consumers," said Judah Thornewill,
Acting Executive Director, LouHIE. "We are excited about the positive
response and look forward to bringing a health record banking service to
the Louisville community."
"We believe the health record banking model is a viable choice for
consumers, however it must be based on strong consumer control
principles," added Barbara Cox, National Practice Director of the
Information Management & Systems practice at Noblis.
Use of the health record banking model is being encouraged by the
Health Record Banking Alliance (HRBA). Each of the communities that
adopt this approach will have a number of tools available to them that
promote consumer choice, consent, and collaboration.
Further information
The LouHIE research results are available at:
www.louhie.org
The HRB principles are available at:
www.healthbanking.org
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