The majority of Americans are confident in healthcare record accessibility but highlight persistent inaccuracies and trust issues

SAN FRANCISCO: Health tech company Carta Healthcare®, whose mission is to harness the value of clinical data, today released the results of a survey of U.S. consumers regarding the accuracy and accessibility of their healthcare records. While most respondents feel confident about accessing their records and consider them accurate, a significant portion, particularly younger generations, report inaccuracies. The survey also reveals cautious optimism about the role of AI in enhancing record accuracy.

“The healthcare landscape is rapidly evolving with digital transformation, and the accessibility and accuracy of medical records remain critical issues. The survey underscores a general confidence in the accessibility and accuracy of medical records among U.S. consumers, with notable discrepancies across age groups and common errors persisting. The integration of AI in healthcare record management shows promise, though trust issues need to be addressed. As the healthcare industry continues to digitize, ensuring the accessibility and accuracy of medical records and addressing public concerns about AI integration will be paramount to improving patient care and trust in the system,” said Matt Hollingsworth, co-founder, Carta Healthcare.

High accessibility of medical records

The survey results indicate high accessibility rates and knowledge of how to access healthcare records. Eighty-three percent of respondents feel their healthcare records are accessible when needed, 74% know how to access their healthcare records, and 76% know how to request a copy. Respondents most commonly receive records by email (46%), followed by secure online portals (37%). A majority (72%) have never had to access their records while traveling.

High accuracy of medical records

Overall confidence in the accuracy of medical records is high: Eighty-six percent of respondents believe their records are accurate; however, 45% of respondents report that they had to correct or clarify their healthcare records in the past. When respondents find inaccuracies, they are most commonly around personal information (33%), allergies or aversions (23%), and treatment history (22%). The primary methods that respondents use to correct inaccuracies include phone calls (58%) and verification of documents (40%).

Impact of inaccuracies

While 67% of respondents do not believe inaccuracies impact their current treatment, the remaining 33% cite wasted time, inaccurate treatment, and prescription issues as significant problems.

AI and digital transformation in healthcare records

A majority of respondents (59%) believe AI can improve record accuracy through detecting incomplete information and predictive analytics, but trust issues remain. Fifty-five percent would trust AI tools for patient intake but concerns about security (51%) and accuracy (41%) persist.

Quality assurance of healthcare records

A large majority of respondents (73%) believe there are processes currently in place to ensure data accuracy, and 72% think patients should play a role in ensuring record accuracy through AI-driven tools.

Generational differences

There are generational differences regarding perceived accuracy of healthcare data, requests and methods for corrections, perceived causes of inaccuracies, and trust in AI to help address accuracy concerns. Generation Z and millennials report higher inaccuracies in personal information compared to older generations. More than half of Generation Z (60.8%) and millennials (51.9%) have had to correct or ask for clarification on their health records, compared to older generations (32.5%). Baby boomers (11.2%) are the least likely to send a formal request for correction, compared to Generation Z (34.5%). More than half of millennials (63.8%) believe a phone call to their healthcare providers is the most effective method to issue corrections. All generations, but especially baby boomers (60.2%), view human error as the main culprit in inaccurate healthcare records. The vast majority of baby boomers (84.1%) believe AI can help with the accuracy of healthcare data through the detection of incomplete information and duplicate records.

Survey methodology

A national online survey of 1,006 consumers about their views regarding the accuracy and accessibility of their healthcare records was conducted by Propeller Insights between July 2 and July 10, 2024. Respondents opted in to an online database; from there, they were targeted based on demographics. To further confirm qualifications, respondents were asked to verify their information in the survey itself with self-identifying qualifications. The maximum margin of sampling error was +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence.

About Carta Healthcare

At Carta Healthcare, we believe data is the key to improving healthcare. Current data abstraction methods are labor-intensive, time-consuming, costly, and often yield suboptimal results. By combining AI technology with skilled expert abstractors, Carta Healthcare harvests data faster at a lower cost, resulting in higher-quality data. Learn more about how Carta Healthcare applies the power of AI technology, combined with expert clinical data abstractors, to harness data and insights as catalysts for healthcare transformation at www.carta.healthcare.

Fonte: Business Wire