Patient Access to Medical Records –- Challenges Exist, Solutions Too

Patient Access to Medical Records - Challenges Exist, Solutions Too Easy access to medical records is vital to facilitate processes such as medical records review.

Here are some existing challenges and possible solutions.

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Easy access to medical records is vital to facilitate processes such as medical records review and medical claims review, and to enable patients to be more involved in their care. The electronic health record was introduced with a view to ensure this easy access; however, patients still face challenges in accessing their healthcare data. This was established in a new study funded by the Office of the National Coordinator (ONC) for Health IT and another study by Ambra Health, a medical data and image management SaaS company,.

Surveys Reveal Consumer Habits and Expectations Consumers have the right to inspect, review and receive a copy of their medical records under the HIPAA Privacy Rule. The ONC found that the medical record request process can be quite confusing to patients; moreover, this process is not often available electronically.

Another issue is that patient portals may not include all the information patients need, and when available this information could be incomplete or inaccurate. Often, health data cannot be shared electronically or transferred to other healthcare providers. ONC studied the medical record release information and forms from 50 large health systems and hospitals in 32 states. They also interviewed 17 consumers to understand their experiences and challenges in accessing their healthcare data.

Yet another survey conducted by New York City-based Ambra Health found that though 97% across all age and gender demographics are familiar with cloud technology, 31% cannot easily access their medical records and only half of those can access medical records online via their healthcare provider. Ambra Health also found that when it comes to transferring diagnostic data studies such as X-Rays, CT scans and MRI from one provider to another, more than half of healthcare consumers, i.e. around 57% said that they received their imaging via CDs which they had to give to their new provider or referred specialist.

Here are the major findings of the survey. •

Only 17% of respondents reported that they were provided online access to their imaging studies that they could share with another provider.

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44% of patients surveyed reported that it took a day or more to move these medical images from one provider to another.

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Only 37% of healthcare consumers said they were highly satisfied with the experience of transferring imaging.

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Regarding cloud applications, respondents in the age group 18 to 34 showed a high degree of trust in such technology, with 77% saying they would use one to access and share medical imaging studies.

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73% of healthcare consumers wanted their medical data (including diagnostic data such as X-ray, CT scan, ultrasound and echo medical imaging that are typically omitted from online patient portals) to be accessible via a standard website or mobile device.

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The top 3 health-related activities consumers engage in online are researching treatment (51%), viewing lab reports (41%), and managing prescriptions (40%).

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There is a significant age gap as regards virtual care adoption. o

34% of people in the age group 18 – 34 reported receiving virtual care, compared to just 3% of those aged 55 and above.

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Men reported receiving virtual care more than women, 26% and 14% respectively.

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Referrals still remain the primary way for patients to find a provider. o

72% of respondents indicated that referrals are the preferred choice over their health insurance network, word of mouth, or online research.

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However, 42% of those surveyed said that they conduct research online to select a suitable provider.

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Online search was hardly used to find healthcare providers earlier, but now it has become highly popular, with two-thirds of the respondents, regardless of age and gender saying that online scheduling is key to patient engagement.

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Online research is more popular among younger patients. Eighty percent of millennials cited ease of medical record access and scheduling as a key consideration. However, only 52% of baby boomers consider this as important.

Ambra’s study shows a clear gap in the expectations of the present day empowered patient vs. the services being offered by healthcare providers. These findings are very relevant for providers looking to expand their patient base.

Surveys and studies such as the above provide timely insights as regards how healthcare providers can modify their technology and processes to ideally meet changing patient behavior and preferences. In this mobile era, healthcare consumers more often use their laptops and smartphones to manage their health. How medical practices and hospitals use

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technology to meet their needs for healthcare services is also a major factor consumers take into account when making decisions.

What Providers Can Do to Improve Patients’ Experiences The ONC report suggests certain measures providers can take to create a user-friendly health records request process.

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Allow patients to easily request and receive their records from their patient portal.

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Create a user-friendly online request process that uses easy-to-understand language.

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Set up an electronic records request system outside of the patient portal

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Provide a status bar or progress tracker so that consumers can see where they are in the request process. Indications regarding when the request is received, when their records are being retrieved, and when they are ready for delivery can be given.

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Use e-verification to quickly confirm the record requester’s identity.

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Make sure that consumers know that they can request their record in various formats such as PDF or CD, and delivered in the way they choose (for e.g. by email or sent to a third party)

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Provide clear instructions for patients and caregivers regarding how to request health records, what to expect, and who to contact if they have questions.

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Encourage patients to use patient portals by promoting useful features such as online appointment scheduling, secure messaging, and prescription refills.

These are useful suggestions indeed that are simple and can improve the medical records request process. With the retrieval of medical records made easier, processes such as medical records review will also become hassle-free. Providers need to understand the immense opportunities this mobile-driven internet age offers them. As the Ambra report authors point out, providers need to leverage patient portals, make medical imaging easily accessible, add online second opinion programs, and implement virtual care offerings to differentiate services, obtain patient loyalty and increase patient satisfaction.

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