Blue Cross supports consumer awareness of healthcare IT

The Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (BCBSA) has praised the efforts by the Office of the National Coordinator (ONC) to raise awareness of healthcare IT among the general public, reports Healthcare IT News.

The ONC's campaign aims to improve awareness of healthcare IT and how it relates to their own care. The BCBSA have been vocal advocates of increasing adoption of medical informatics systems, health information exchanges and other healthcare IT initiatives that lead to improved patient care, lower operational costs and increased efficiency.

"The Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association strongly supports initiatives to advance health information technology and supports efforts by the Office of the National Coordinator ‘to engage and empower individuals to be partners in their health through information technology,'" said a spokesperson for the BCBSA in a statement. "Our shared vision for the future of healthcare in America includes the use of health information technology to drive safer and better care for all Americans."

As the prevalence of medical informatics systems and other healthcare IT has increased, so too has interest from patients in accessing their own clinical data. According to Information Week, a new study by researchers at Harvard University suggests that many patients are keen to be able to see physicians' notes relating to their visits.

The survey polled 110 physicians and more than 38,000 patients. A majority of healthcare consumers indicated they would like to be able to access physicians notes online to review the outcomes of their care regimens, and a significant number of primary care doctors also thought this was a good idea.

Researchers also found that, of the more than 90 percent of patients who said they would like access to their visit notes, there were no strong demographic ties within this group. An overwhelming majority of patients, regardless of age, race, gender and occupational groups, said that providing patients with access to the notes made by their physicians was something they supported.