Personal electronic healthcare records
What influences consumers to engage with their clinical data online? A literature review
- Crameri, Kellie-Anne BMedSc, MSc(HlthServMgmt)
- Maher, Lynne RGN, BSci Hons, MBA, PhD
- Van Dam, Pieter RN, PhD
- Prior, Sarah BSci, BBehSc, PhD
Background:
Online electronic records such as patient portals and personally controlled electronic health records (PEHRs) have been widely viewed as a key component to modernising the delivery of healthcare but the uptake of such systems has been slow.
Objective:
The purpose of this literature review was to determine what influences consumers to engage and interact with their clinical data online.
Method:
A scoping literature review following PRISMA guidelines was completed. Electronic patient record research published between January 2009 and December 2018 was included. Following screening and full-text reviews, a total of 64 records were included in this review.
Results:
Three key areas of influence on consumer engagement with their clinical data online emerged: demographic factors affecting consumer interaction with PEHRs; consumers’ perceived benefits and detriments of PEHR use; and the influence of PEHR use on consumer empowerment and responsibility.
Discussion:
Consumer motivation and readiness for engaging with their clinical data online and their long-term ongoing use of these systems requires further exploration.
Conclusion:
As worldwide rates of consumer interactions with individual online clinical data remain low, what influences consumer engagement with a PEHR remains unknown. Further research into the consumer perspective of, and interaction with, a PEHR, needs to be undertaken to determine if factors such as frequent usage of the system by consumers leads to improved clinical outcomes.