The vast majority of patients and doctors have favorable opinions of electronic health records and believe that they will lead to improvements in the quality of several areas of healthcare, according to a new survey conducted by Sage Healthcare Division.
The survey revealed that 62 percent of physicians and 81 percent of patients have generally favorable views of electronic health records. Furthermore, 62 percent of doctors and 78 percent of patients agreed that the technology will lead to improvements in the healthcare system.
"Patients who participated in the survey said they had greater confidence in providers who use electronic records," said Betty Otter-Nickerson, president of Sage Healthcare Division. "This suggests that there's an opportunity for doctors to learn directly from their patients how to improve their practices and their patient relationships."
She added that the financial incentives being offered by the federal government for the adoption of electronic health records could also be an attractive feature for physicians who are considering a move to an electronic system. Practices can qualify for up to $45,000 under the Medicare program and $63,000 for the Medicaid program.