Electronic Health Records Raise Security Risks

According to a survey of 1,000 people who recently visited a healthcare facility, 49% believe that electronic health records (EHRs) will have a negative impact on the privacy of their personal health information. The findings of the survey, "Elevated Heart Rates: EHR and IT Security," which were released on Tuesday, also show that respondents hold healthcare delivery organizations responsible for protecting financial information (86%), personally identifiable information (93%), and any information provided about a patient's family (94%). The survey, which was conducted from January 24 to January 31, interviewed respondents who had been to both a doctors' office and hospital/outpatient clinic in the previous 18 months. The poll was conducted by CDW Healthcare, a subsidiary of CDW.