The American Public on Health Care-The Missing Perspective - (Page 14)

“The complexity of the American health care system is well known, but we must hear the stories of individuals challenged by health problems to fully understand the urgent need for reform. The voices in the town halls were those of real people and any solution has to answer the questions we heard. Access, quality, and portability of coverage are among the demands our leaders must address.” Dr. Paul Volberding Professor and Vice Chair, UCSF Department of Medicine Chief, Medical Service SF Veterans Affairs Medical Center Co-Director, UCSF-GIVI Center for AIDS Research 02: The Power of Information The second surprising finding concerns the power of information. The people— health care consumers—believe that information has the power to help improve the quality and efficiency of the health care system, and they want to know more about both the cost of care and the performance of their providers. They are willing to share their health information among their doctors and researchers to improve the quality of care. When evaluating the criticality of information about doctors and hospitals, the public prioritizes two performance measures above others: their records of medical mistakes, and whether they consistently follow established standards and guidelines in diagnosing and treating patients. (see Figure E, F ). Contrary to conventional wisdom about privacy concerns, most Americans see the benefits of sharing health data. Three-quarters of the public (78%) favor giving physicians the means to share access to their medical records, while two-thirds (66%) see the value in including their own information anonymously in a large database that would help researchers understand more about the effectiveness and possible side effects of various treatments or prescription drugs (see Figure G ). The public’s views on the power of information extend to their attitudes about electronic health records. While less than a quarter (23%) of Americans currently use an electronic health records (EHR) system, nearly twice as many (44%) would be interested in using EHR if it were available. Majorities think it could improve their quality of care (59%) and help them better manage their own health (53%). Nearly half (48%) are interested because they believe using an EHR could reduce the cost of their health care (see Figure H ). The public’s willingness to share health information for research could revolutionize the practice of “evidencebased medicine,” which enables health care providers to make diagnoses and recommend courses of treatment based on data about what has worked in thousands or even millions of cases 14

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