Survey: More U.S. Adults Tap into Health Information Online

Abstract

More adults are using health information technology (IT) to access, retrieve, store, or share healthcare information, according to a new federal survey. The U.S. National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), a division of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC), released preliminary estimates of a 2009 survey about the use of health IT by men and women ages 18 to 64. The results come as many hospitals and physician offices are exploring health IT measures such as electronic health records (EHR). The 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act included nearly $19 billion in financial incentives to entice hospitals and physicians to implement EHR systems. The survey of 7,192 adults from January to June 2009, found that 61% of participants have used the Internet to search for health or medical information. The survey also found that 49% of adults logged on to a website that provides information about a medical condition or problem. One IT expert says that while the results are encouraging, widespread adoption of health IT has a long way to go. “One of the challenges for everyone involved in this effort is to make this technology easy to use, especially for people who don't use technology every day in their work or personal lives,” says Leanne Cordisco, healthcare IT program manager for GE Healthcare and a member of AAMI’s Technology Management Council (TMC). “As an industry, we must find a way to engage healthcare consumers over the age of 50 in the use of health IT for the full benefit of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act’s goal to be achieved. I think tremendous inroads have been made by the widespread use of devices like the Nintendo Wii for fitness, and the health IT industry can build on that momentum.” The survey showed a disparity between men and women in the use of health IT. Women were more likely than men to look up health information on the Internet (58% versus 43%), and were also more likely to use online chat groups to learn about health topics (4.1% versus 2.5%). “As the percentage of U.S. adults who use the Internet continues to grow, the Internet may become increasingly important as a source of health information for consumers,” according to the report. Cordisco likened the challenges of health IT to a complicated television. “Many consumers over 50 are challenged by using three remote controls to turn on a high definition television system, and I even have problems with this simple task,” she says. “Health IT must be as easy to use as a TV with one remote control for widespread adoption among Americans over age 50.” n Survey: More U.S. Adults Tap into Health Information Online