Released on = November 28, 2005, 7:25 am

Press Release Author = PatientView

Industry = Healthcare

Press Release Summary = Some 70 countries around the world have announced programmes
to digitise the medical records of patients. But a global survey of healthcare
campaigning groups conducted by HSCNews International into the subject of electronic
medical records (EMRs) found that although healthcare advocacy groups are
enthusiastic about the technology, 65% of them are also worried that medical records
would get into the wrong hands if records are distributed electronically.


Press Release Body =
Some 70 countries around the world have announced programmes to digitise the medical
records of patients. But a global survey of healthcare campaigning groups conducted
by HSCNews International into the subject of electronic medical records (EMRs) found
that although healthcare advocacy groups are enthusiastic about the technology, 65%
of them are also worried that medical records would get into the wrong hands if
records are distributed electronically.

Among those most fearful of EMRs are individuals
who have already experienced stigmatisation
(including people with a disability, HIV/AIDS, or a mental health problem).
Disparate groups-such as the Vereniging Samenwerkende Ouder- en
Patiëntenorganisaties (VSOP, the Dutch Genetic Patient Alliance),
the Swiss Angst-und Panikhilfe Schweiz (APhS, a support group for people who suffer
from anxiety and panic attacks), English-based Mind Manchester, the Highland User's
Group from Scotland, US-based Conquer Fragile-X Foundation, and the Nevada Diabetes
Association for Children and Adults
-emphasised that EMR systems should be secure from hackers.
These organisations were concerned that people's personal medical details
could leak out to a wide audience-resulting in further stigmatisation.


Although technologists and governments
expect EMRs to empower patients,
only 27% of the respondent healthcare campaigning groups thought that the technology
was capable of improving doctor-patient relationships, and only 17% believed that it
would help patients manage their own care.
Instead, the perception was that EMR systems
are primarily for the benefit of
doctors and other health professionals.


The majority of the 208 health campaigners
who took part in this survey called for
better policing and controls over EMRs.
70% believed that patients should decide
who can access their own EMR.


57% recommended that patient satisfaction or dissatisfaction with the EMR systems
should be constantly monitored.


A lack of government consultation with patients
and the public on the subject of the
introduction of EMRs may explain why people
are so concerned about the technology.
Only 7% of the respondent healthcare campaigners were aware of any significant
efforts by local or national government
to engage patients or the public in debate about
the introduction and use of EMR systems.


Over one quarter of the groups participating
in the survey considered the technology
not yet good enough to develop
comprehensive, foolproof, EMR systems.
Not surprisingly then, one fifth stressed that the money being spent on EMRs could
be better deployed towards other aspects of patient care.
WHAT SOME PATIENTS AND PATIENT GROUPS SAID ABOUT EMRs


"The concern is primarily a privacy one. There is an understanding of the virtues of
the system, but fear about how the information could be improperly used."
-CONQUER FRAGILE-X FOUNDATION, USA

"When the doctor keeps their records electronically, they [patients] worry when
records are passed on by Internet."
-ASTMA-EN ALLERGIEKOEPEL, BELGIUM

"In the 1980s, the NHS in the Hampshire area lost millions of pounds trying (and
failing) to install a comprehensive, linked, and interactive computer system. Will
another foray into this subject mean more money and administrative tasks, and less
nursing care? These fears are part of the difficulty that patients seem to face on
[hospital] wards at the moment."
-RESPONDENT FROM A CANCER PATIENT ORGANISATION, ENGLAND

"Some people are concerned about who will have access to their confidential
information."
-FERTILITY SUPPORT GROUP, NORTHERN IRELAND

"The prevailing view is that EMRs increase efficiency and efficacy, not the
patient-doctor relationship. That may, instead, be impaired."
-FORUM ITALIANO PERMANENTE PER LA PREVENZIONE ED IL TRATTAMENTO DELL\'ICTUS
CEREBRALE, ITALY

"Many see the benefits of better information flows, although some are concerned
about possible errors and the electronic storage of any information."
-GROUP SPECIALISING IN OLDER PEOPLE, AUSTRALIA

"The desired system should be looked at first as a system from which people will
gain benefit, rather than as a development of the capacities of healthcare
providers. Such a system would be applied first within the public and non-profit
healthcare provision organisations. Strict regulations should be produced for the
for-profit healthcare providers.\"
-THE ASSOCIATION FOR HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL DEVELOPMENT, EGYPT

"The key problem is easy access by the patients to their own records."
-DIABETES PATIENT ORGANISATION,
IVORY COAST



Web Site = http://www.patient-view.com

Contact Details = Contact details:
Alex Wyke at HSCNews International,
PatientView
Woodhouse PLace
UpperWoodhouse
Knighton
Powys LD 7 ING
on tel: 00-44-(0)1547 520 965;
email: info@patient-view.com