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Do Health Care Users Think Electronic Health Records are Important for Themselves and Their Providers? Exploring Group Differences in a National Survey

Patient access to electronic health records (EHR) is expected to have a variety of benefits, including enhanced patient involvement in care and access to health information, yet little is known about potential demand. We used the 2007 Health Information and National Trends Survey, a national probability-based survey, to determine which health care users with Internet access are likely to report that electronic access to their health records is important for themselves and their providers. Respondents who represent populations that generally experience health and healthcare disparities (Blacks, Latina/os, and patients with psychological distress) were among the most likely to report that the EHR was very important for them. Women were less likely than men to deem the EHR very important for their providers, but it is unclear if this is due to men's higher technology adoption rates. All findings were consistent, even after controlling for respondents' socio-economic status, health status, health care context, and disposition toward health information. Health policies and the designs of EHRs should consider these patterns, which could help address health and health care disparities.