Patients Doubtful at Health IT Due to Privacy and Security Concerns

More than half of customers, 57%, with contact experience to hospital, physician or ancillary provider's technology this last year report being doubtful at the overall benefits of health information technology (IT) due to security concerns like patient portals, mobile apps, and electronic health records (EHRs) mainly because of the recently reported data hacking and a perceived deficiency of privacy protection by providers, in accordance to a Black Book survey.

For the survey, Black Book surveyed 12,090 customers with the target of judging sufferer adoption and acceptance of technology.

The survey results discovered that the amount of available health data is increasing so is the hesitancy for customers to share that information because of industry privacy and security concerns. The unwillingness of sufferers to comprehensively divulge all their medical information increased to 87% in the fourth quarter of 2016.

“Fewer consumers at this point in time don’t need their digital health histories to extend beyond their physician and hospital, initially measured in the year of 2013 at 66% who were willing to divulge entire personal health data to acquire enhanced care,” the study authors wrote. “Particularly alarming to respondents were the uncertainties that their pharmacy prescriptions (90%), mental health notes (99%) and chronic condition (81%) data is being shared beyond their selected provider and payer to retailers, employers, and or the government without their acknowledgement.”

Because of these security concerns, the survey discovered that 89% of consumers with 2016 provider visits report withholding health information during visits. 93% expressed security concerns over their financial information. 69% of sufferers confirm their belief that their current primary care physician doesn’t demonstrate enough technology prowesses for them to trust divulging all their personal information.

At the similar time, the survey respondents related that more technology the physician is perceived as using to handle the patient's healthcare, the higher the trust level sufferers had in their provider. 84% of patients said their trust in their provider is influenced by how the provider utilizes the technology, instead of merely 5% of consumers had any issue in trusting in the actual technology.

Among the highlights from the survey:

• Hospitals over 400 beds have the most success with patient technology satisfaction and usability.


• Sufferer from hospitals under 200 beds are the most challenged by the patient portals, engagement tools and monitoring systems offered at discharge. 92% of sufferers express difficulty understanding the instructions or use of the technological applications.


• 96% of physician office patients claimed that they left their visit with poorly communicated or miscommunicated instructions on patient portal use.


• 91% of individuals with wearables consider their physician practice's medical record system should store that health related data as requested.


• 72% of sufferers that have used patient portals and healthcare information sites in the year of 2016 state they believe their primary care doctor has less technology acumen then they do.


• 94% of sufferers with health or activity trackers said their physician, when inquired, informed them the practice had no capability or interest in coordinating their outcomes currently through their EHR.


• Four in 10 patients attempted to utilize the portal given by their physician, but 83 found it difficult to navigate when at home.


• 91% of sufferers who find their apps and devices relevant to their health improvement felt slighted by their primary care physician and staff. 24% of those consumers are considering changing to a physician more experienced in newer technologies.

"In this age of healthcare consumerism people need to receive care via technologically enabled alternatives such as telemedicine visits, secure email communications with their practitioner, and access to records and scheduling," the survey report authors wrote.