Assessing Canada's Readiness for Patient Accessible Electronic Health Records
Author Information
Author(s): Sara Urowitz, David Wiljer, Emma Apatu, Gunther Eysenbach, Claudette DeLenardo, Tamara Harth, Howard Pai, Kevin J Leonard
Primary Institution: Princess Margaret Hospital/University Health Network, Canada
Hypothesis
Are Canadian hospitals ready to implement patient accessible electronic health records (EHRs)?
Conclusion
Canadian hospitals are slowly moving towards adopting patient accessible EHRs, but significant barriers remain.
Supporting Evidence
- 54.2% of hospitals had some form of EHR, but few were predominantly electronic.
- Financial resources were identified as the main barrier to providing patient access to EHRs.
- There was a divergence in perceptions between healthcare providers and patients regarding access to EHRs.
Takeaway
This study looked at whether hospitals in Canada are ready to let patients see their health records online, and it found that while some hospitals have started, many still have a long way to go.
Methodology
A survey was conducted among CEOs of Canadian public and acute care hospitals to assess their readiness for EHR implementation.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to self-reported data from hospital executives.
Limitations
The response rate may not accurately represent all Canadian hospitals, and the low number of respondents limited the analysis.
Participant Demographics
Majority of respondents were from Ontario, with a mix of roles including CEOs and other hospital managers.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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