Whose EHR Is It Anyway ? !
This far and no further, is the approach physicians are taking when it comes to patient EHR access. Patient electronic access is an important objective of Meaningful Use. It can help physicians to deliver better quality of care. And to bring everybody across the care continuum in one single, secure platform.
Data security risks is the key reason why the debate on patients access to EHR is still up in the air. Nothing can scare physicians more than a data breach. The average housewife in New Jersey may not be up to date on HIPAA regulations And there is also the potential threat of patients misinterpreting their medical data.
A physicians understanding of a medical problem is not the same as that of a patients. It could cause unnecessary stress and anguish, and make patients vulnerable to self-medication dangers.
I Don’t Want My Patients In The Drivers Seat…
According to a recent survey conducted by Accenture, around 65% of doctors feel that patients should be given limited access. About 82% of physicians endorse the view that patients should be actively involved in their healthcare. Around 4% of doctors told they’d like to ban patients from having an online access to medical records.
Most physicians were of the opinion that other than demographics, patients shouldn’t be allowed to edit or update any other medical data.
The Way Around This Catch 22 situation !
- Talk to your EHR vendor about including patient identity proofing and authentication features.
- Standardize the information you want your patients to access.
- Educate your patients about your EHR.
- Work with a biller who has experience in working with your EHR so patient billing is streamlined to a great extent
- Follow a clear cut privacy policy and usage guidelines.