eHealth Initiative Foundation Releases New Communications Tools Based on Consumer Research on Secure Electronic Health Information Exchange
eHealth Initiative Media Contact: |
May 2, 2007 |
Free public education tools enhance consumer understanding of benefits of electronic health information
WASHINGTON, D.C. - May 2, 2007 - When medical emergencies arise there is no time to waste, yet few patient medical histories can be accessed electronically to help doctors make informed decisions -- especially when a patient is unconscious and can't communicate information about allergies or special medical conditions.
Today, the eHealth Initiative Foundation (eHI) released research findings and a fully customizable set of new communications tools designed to enhance consumer understanding of the benefits of health IT and health information exchange (HIE). As part of the "InformationSTATTM" program, these public awareness tools can be used by state, regional and community initiatives to educate consumers about the real life-and-death difference secure electronic health information exchange can have. The eHI web-based tools and resources include downloadable public announcements for radio, "print-ready" artwork for advertisements and billboards, case examples, and brochures on the importance of electronic health information exchange. The more than 30 resources made available today also include partnership development guides and customizable brochures and powerpoint presentations which local sponsors can use to reach out to practicing clinicians and employers to engage them in health information exchange efforts across the country. Access to the InformationSTATTM program materials are available free of charge through the eHI Connecting Communities Toolkit. Sign-in is required.
According to eHI's 2006 Survey of Health Information Exchange at the State, Regional and Community Levels, at least 165 health information exchange initiatives exist today in 49 states and the District of Columbia, and more than one half of the states in the U.S. are developing or implementing plans for exchanging information electronically to support improvements in health and healthcare, many stimulated by legislative mandates and executive orders. Most of these initiatives are in the early stages of development and are not yet operational. These communications tools are designed to support states and communities in the early planning stages as they reach out to the public in their regions, to raise awareness of why health information exchange is important, while highlighting safeguards that are in place to protect privacy and confidentiality of health information.
eHI's Chief Executive Officer, Janet Marchibroda, explained the importance of the newly launched resources to communities and consumers. "Communities are increasingly reaching across geographic boundaries to connect diverse healthcare entities through secure health information exchange," said Marchibroda. "As communities work to make healthcare safer through secure electronic information at the point of care, it is critical that consumers are involved in these efforts. This program is designed to help health information exchange initiatives across our country educate and engage consumers about secure, electronic systems to bring patient information to where it is needed when it is needed most."
The public education and communications toolkit launched today was developed by eHI with support from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services[1] which provided funds to strengthen Gulf Coast health care services and regional electronic health information infrastructure in the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Communications firm Health2 Resources played a key role in the toolkit's development. This work also aligns with the activities and resources of eHI's Connecting Communities program which has since 2003 provided seed funding, technical assistance, networking opportunities and needed tools and resources to state, regional and community health information exchange initiatives in the United States, several components of which were also funded in part, by DHHS. More than 280 of such initiatives are members of eHI's Connecting Communities membership today.
"More than one million patients are estimated to have lost their medical records as a result of the hurricanes in 2005," said Marchibroda. "Creating secure electronic information exchange will help us better respond in emergencies, including natural disasters. These campaign materials are designed to support the innovative work communities across the country are already doing by giving them the tools they can use to engage their most important stakeholder - the patient."
Roxane A. Townsend, M.D., Louisiana's deputy secretary of the Department of Health and Hospitals says of the new eHI public education and media tools and their value to consumers, "it is critically important that patients, as consumers of the health care system, have an understanding of the benefits of having accessible electronic health information. These tools assist in delivering that message in a way they can easily understand."
Materials found in the eHI public education and communications toolkit incorporate notable findings from attitude and opinion research conducted by Public Opinion Strategies LLC as a part of eHI's work on health IT and electronic health information exchange for the Gulf Coast region. These findings are important in and of themselves, as they highlight key considerations for national, state and local leaders as they roll-out health information exchange programs.
Key findings gleaned from the focus group and telephone survey research revealed that:
- Support is extremely strong among consumers for secure electronic health information exchange with 70 percent of respondents favoring and 21 percent opposing its development. Support across political parties is equally strong, with 73 percent, 70 percent, and 67 percent of Republicans, Democrats and Independents, respectively, strongly favoring the development of health information exchange.
- The more consumers learn about the creation of secure electronic health information exchange, the greater their support. Initial response to the term "secure electronic health information exchange" without any further information provided is relatively neutral, however the overall impression becomes significantly more positive when presented with a brief definition of the term.
- Respondents' questions and concerns after hearing a definition of secure health information exchange provided guidance on improving how to communicate about health information exchange. Based on the research, it's important when defining health information exchange to focus on: security, how it works, patient permission, who has access, and benefits of health information exchange to the patient and physician.
- The message that resonates the most for consumers is "having access to information in an emergency medical situation". Other messages that elicit positive response include those relating to "having access to your medical record when you are out of state", "having access to your medical record when you visit your doctor", and "having access during or after natural disasters."
- Consumers trust doctors the most to deliver them information about secure electronic health information exchange.
- Misperceptions about the prevalence of health IT and electronic health information exchange are common. Almost half of consumers believe that their doctors already keep their medical records in electronic form, and a majority believe that it is likely that their doctors' medical records have a back-up copy off-site in electronic form.
Click here for a full summary of research findings.
"These findings have helped to develop communication materials that address common concerns, such as privacy of health information and healthcare quality in a straightforward, understandable way, said Michael Heekin, chair of the Florida Governor's Health Information Infrastructure Advisory Board, They promise to be powerful tools in efforts both local and national."
About eHealth Initiative and its Foundation
The eHealth Initiative and its Foundation are independent, non-profit affiliated organizations whose missions are the same: to drive improvements in the quality, safety, and efficiency of healthcare through information and information technology.
eHI engages multiple stakeholders, including clinicians, consumer and patient groups, employers, health plans, healthcare IT suppliers, hospitals and other providers, laboratories, pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers, pharmacies, public health, and public sector agencies, as well as its growing coalition of more than 280 state, regional and community-based collaboratives focused on improving healthcare by mobilizing health information electronically, to develop and disseminate common principles, policies and best practices for improving the quality, safety and effectiveness of America's healthcare through information and information technology.
[1] The content of the public education and media awareness toolkit do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Department of Health and Human Services, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations in the toolkit imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.
