Healthcare Information Sharing Raises Privacy Concerns

A new study reveals that increased information sharing via electronic health records (EHRs) often raises security and privacy concerns among patients and the public.

Researchers at Oxford University (United Kingdom), Imperial College London (United Kingdom), and other institutions carried out a cross-sectional survey among 2,761 participants recruited from primary and secondary care settings in West London. The survey results were subsequently discussed in 13 focus groups with people living with a range of different health conditions, and in four mixed focus groups with 120 patients, health professionals, and researchers.

The results showed that 79% of the participants reported that they would worry about the security of their medical record if this was part of a national EHR system, and 71 % thought the UK National Health Service (NHS; London) was unable to guarantee EHR safety. Almost half (47%) responded that EHRs would be less secure. Of those who reported being worried about EHR security, many would nevertheless support their development (55%), while 12% would not support national EHRs, and a sizeable proportion (33%) were undecided.

The researchers found that survey results varied by age, ethnicity, and education. In the focus group discussions, participants weighed up perceived benefits against potential security and privacy threats resulting from issues such as wider sharing of information, commercial exploitation, lack of accountability, data inaccuracies, inherent prejudices, and inequalities in health provision. The study was published on October 14, 2015, in BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making.

“Patient and public worries about the security risks associated with integrated EHRs highlight the need for intensive public awareness and engagement initiatives, together with the establishment of trustworthy security and privacy mechanisms for health information sharing,” concluded lead author PhD candidate Chrysanthi Papoutsi, MSc, of Oxford University, and colleagues. “Relevant safeguards must be in place and patients should be guided in their decision-making process, including increased awareness about the benefits of EHRs for secondary uses.”

Related Links:
Oxford University
Imperial College London