Rochester Business Journal

Despite seeing some value in electronic medical records, a majority of U.S. consumers are not comfortable with digital tracking of their own health information, a Harris Interactive Inc. survey found.

Conducted for Xerox Corp., the survey is the third annual poll tracking U.S. consumer preferences on electronic health records.

Only 26 percent of respondents said they wanted to see their health information tracked electronically, and 85 percent expressed concerns over digital tracking of their health information.

Despite respondents’ higher levels of personal discomfort with EMR, 40 percent said they see digital record keeping as improving health care. That is the same percentage who gave that answer in 2010. In 2011, 42 percent said they saw EMR as improving health care.

Despite consumer concerns, the survey results indicate that providers are widely adopting EMR. Sixty percent of respondents said their doctors were using electronic medical records. 

“We continue to see a resistance to change from consumers meaning providers need to continue to educate Americans on the value of EHRs,” said Chad Harris, group president, Xerox Healthcare Provider Solutions. 

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