Governor

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Governors e-Health Advisory Council Dell/Zogby
Survey ResultsLinda Rebrovick, Dell Healthcare
Services
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Dell/Zogby Survey of Tennessee Residents

• A new survey conducted by Dell and Zogby
  International finds that Tennessee residents
  believe that new advancements in health care
  information technology (IT) would help improve
  the quality of patient care, reduce health care
  costs and help reform the overall health care
  system.
• Online survey of 854 adults in Tennessee in March
  2007
• Age
• 20 18-29
• 40 30-49
• 23 50-64
• 17 65
• Race
• 81 White
• 16African America
• 1 Hispanic
• 1 Asian/Pacific
• 1 Other
• Location
• 41 Live in large city
• 22 live in small city
• 18 live in suburbs
• 19 live in rural areas

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Need for Health Care Reform in Tennessee

• Do you think the health care system in Tennessee
  should be kept basically the same, needs minor
  changes, or needs reform?
• Despite the optimism, more than three in five
  Tennessee residents say the states health care
  system needs reform.

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Most needed area of health care reform

• Which of the following would you say most needs
  to be reformed efficiency and convenience,
  quality of care, or costs?
• Among those who feel that reforms are necessary,
  cost (63) far outweighs efficiency and
  convenience (18) and quality of care (15) as
  most critical.

5
Adoption Rate

• In the past two to three years, has your health
  care provider begun to use technology more
  frequently in his/her practice?
• The survey showed that Tennessee residents have
  witnessed their own doctors increase their use of
  technology over the past few years.

6
Health Care Delivery Challenges

• What kinds of problems affect your time, money
  and health?
• The current system poses efficiency and
  quality-of-care challenges.
• Nearly one in ten participants said they have had
  a duplicate medical test or evaluation because
  health care providers did not have the necessary
  medical records.
• Ten percent said they had been given the wrong
  dosage or type of medication.

7
Impacts of Health Care IT

• In general, how would you say that greater use of
  technology, such as electronic health records in
  the health care system, will affect the quality
  of patient care?
• Tennesseans are optimistic about the positive
  benefits of health care IT.
• 36 of Tennesseans predict the quality and
  efficiency of care will dramatically or
  significantly improve as more technology is
  introduced into the health care system
• 35 predict modest improvements

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How Electronic Patient Records Would Affect
Immediate Access to Medical History in
Emergencies

• Emergency medical technicians and doctors would
  have immediate access to your personal medical
  history in the event of an emergency
• Respondents think that EHRs would have a high
  likelihood of enabling Emergency technicians to
  have access to personal medical history.

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Effects of ePrescriptions

• E-prescriptions, which is when your prescription
  is delivered either by e-mail or on-line in a
  typed, electronic format from your physicians
  office to a pharmacist
• Respondents are more likely to expect positive
  impacts than negative impacts on the quality of
  health care from ePrescriptions.

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How Electronic Patient Records Would Affect
Fewer Medical Errors

• With accurate patient information, there will be
  fewer medical errors made that could result in
  serious harm to the patient
• Respondents think that EHRs would have a high
  likelihood of reducing medical errors.

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How Electronic Patient Records Would Affect
Reducing Paper and Costs

• It would cut down on paperwork which could help
  reduce health care costs
• Respondents think that EHRs would have a high
  likelihood of reducing costs

12
How Electronic Patient Records Would Affect
Access to Records During Natural Disasters

• Your records will be safer during a natural
  disaster or other emergency
• Respondents think that EHRs would have a high
  likelihood of keeping records safe during natural
  disasters or other emergencies

13
Catalysts for Change

• Which group do you believe could have the most
  impact
• on driving improvements?
• Tennesseans want policymakers to take action.
  Tennessee residents are more likely to feel that
  policymakers (37) would have more impact than
  insurers (20), or employers (8) on driving
  improvements in the states health care system.

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Technology and Health Care Records

• Which statement represents your thought regarding
  electronic health records?
• A) Electronic Health Records will improve the
  quality of patient care and improve patient
  service through faster and more accurate
  treatment
• B) The risk electronic health records pose to
  patient privacy is not worth the benefits
• People are more likely to be optimistic about
  using electronic health records.
• 43 think EHR will improve the quality of patient
  care and service through faster, more accurate
  treatment
• Less than 1/3 feel that EHRs are still too risky.

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Summary of Results

• 3/5 of adults in Tennessee think their states
  health care system needs reforms.
• Over the past two to three years
• Nearly two in five respondents (37) have
  experienced problems with medical insurance
  payments or reimbursements
• Eight percent say they have had to undertake a
  duplicate medical test or evaluation because
  their health care providers did not have the
  necessary medical records
• One in ten has been given the wrong dosage or
  type of medication
• 1/3 of Tennessee residents believe greater use of
  technology will result in major improvements in
  the health care system.

16
Summary of Results

• Costs are, by far, what people say are in most
  need of reform. More than three in five choose
  costs over the other two options efficiency and
  convenience (18) and quality of care (15).
• Tennesseans are almost three times as likely to
  feel their states health care system is worse
  off (30) than better off (12) in comparison to
  those in other states.
• 1/2 of respondents have noticed that their health
  care providers have used technology more
  frequently in past 2-3 years.
• 7/10 predict positive changes from
  e-prescriptions, including 1/3 who predict a
  significant positive impact. Over 2/5 also think
  that virtual doctor visits will positively impact
  the quality of health care.

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Summary of Results

• If Tennessees health care system moves to using
  an electronic system of patient medical records,
• 1/2 or more of residents predict better and
  faster access to personal medical histories and
  records, and fewer medical errors made.
• 2/5 also think this would result in a higher
  likelihood of cutting down on paperwork which
  could help reduce health care costs.
• 37 feel policy makers have the most impact on
  driving improvements in the health care system.
  
• More than double favor changing the system of
  doctor reimbursement that currently prohibits
  physicians from being reimbursed for treating
  patients remotely.