Health in a Networked Life

Markle identified some interesting social and cultural findings in their survey Health in a Networked Life. They include:

• Many doctors and patients surveyed believe key information is lost in their health care conversations.
• A majority of the doctors surveyed indicate a preference for modern communications tools. Three in four doctors say they want to be able to share patient information with other professionals electronically. Roughly half prefer computer-based means to share information with their patients.
• A clear majority of the public and doctors agree that patients ought to be able to download their personal health information online and share information electronically with doctors.
• Roughly 80 percent majorities of both the public and doctors agree it is important to require participating hospitals and doctors to share information to better coordinate care, cut unnecessary costs, and reduce medical errors.
• Majorities of both groups also agree on the importance of measuring progress and setting goals for improving the nation’s health in chronic problems such as heart disease, asthma, diabetes, and obesity.
• Roughly 4 in 5 of both groups express the importance of privacy protections as a requirement to ensure that public investment in health IT will be well spent.
• The public and doctors overwhelmingly support privacy-protective practices, such as letting people see who has accessed their records, notifying people affected by information breaches, and giving people mechanisms to exercise choice and request corrections.
• The public and doctors are largely unfamiliar with the details of the new health IT incentives, suggesting that education and outreach will be vital to the success of the program.