Although three out of four Americans believe that electronic medical records are important for health providers to use, most think that they will increase the cost of health care rather than decrease it, according to a recent telephone survey of 1,238 adults responding to questions about the efficiency and value of health care. “The Public and the Health Care Delivery System” survey, sponsored by National Public Radio, the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, and the Harvard School of Public Health, was designed to air the views of the American public to help inform the health care reform debate.
In addition to raising costs, electronic medical records would likely compromise the confidentiality of medical information, said 59% of the respondents. Seventy-two percent of those surveyed agreed that its not always clear when treatments are effective for given patients, suggesting that Americans may welcome comparative effectiveness research. But more than half opposed having the government involved in the making recommendations about medical effectiveness. Undertreatment is a serious problem, said 67% of respondents, with 26% reporting that insurers had denied coverage for medical care recommended by their physicians. And while 65% said their doctors’ charges were reasonable, 27% said family members have had trouble paying medical bills, and 45% said they have skipped dental or medical care or filling prescriptions to cut their medical costs.
