According to new research, whether or not physicians have electronic health records weighs heavily with consumers and their wallets. According to Accenture, a New York-based consulting company, having EHRs is such an important issue for patients they are willing to pay more for digital docs.
The company surveyed 600 U.S. consumers and conducted interviews with more than 100 physicians in order to gauge consumer and physician attitudes toward EHRs with an individual's medical information including conditions, medication information, test results and treatment plans.
The study found that two-thirds of the consumers said EHRs were at least slightly important in their selection of a physician, and half said they may even be willing to pay for the service. At the same time, just one in 10 physicians interviewed said they currently use electronic records.
