Americans prefer electronic health records.

• Author: Swartz, Nikki
• Position: UP FRONT: News, Trends & Analysis - Brief article

A national survey reveals that the majority of Americans would prefer physicians and insurance companies that use electronic medical records over those that do not.

Healthcare giant Kaiser Permanente commissioned the telephone survey of 1,000 U.S. adults conducted by an independent research firm.

The survey also confirms what past polls have indicated: large numbers of Americans are seeking health information online through websites such as Web MD, Revolution Health, Healia, Google, and others. According to the survey, those online searches are increasingly focusing on the location and management of personal health information.

Among the survey's key findings:

* U.S. adults favor providers (51 percent vs. 17 percent) and insurance carriers (68 percent vs. 16 percent) who use electronic medical records over those who do not.

* While 12 percent of Americans currently review their personal medical records on their health insurance company's website, more than half say they would like to be able to check claims and...