What do Patients Want?
The Commonwealth Fund has released the results of its 2008 Survey of Public Views of the U.S. Health Care System, conducted by Harris Interactive. According to a telephone survey of 1,004 random U.S. adults, 80 percent of respondents believe that the healthcare system needs either fundamental change or complete rebuilding.
Approximately one of five adults with Internet access is able to communicate electronically with their doctors (21%) or schedule appointments online (19%).
Only one of 10 (9%) adults can access their medical records via the Internet.
Of those who cannot access their medical records via the Internet, nearly half (49%) would like to do so. An even greater proportion of adults would like to be able schedule appointments online (57%) or communicate electronically with their doctors (58%).
There is strong support among adults (86%) for doctors’ use of computerized medical records.
Nearly nine of 10 adults (89%) believe it is important for doctors to be able to access test results electronically.
The same proportion of adults (89%) believes it is important for doctors to be able to exchange information with other doctors electronically.
Seven of 10 adults (71%) endorse the use of electronic prescribing to improve patient care.
http://www.commonwealthfund.org/surveys/surveys_show.htm?doc_id=698589
