Imagine if you went to your bank or financial advisor and asked to see your financial records, and you received this answer: "No." Sounds crazy, right?
You know you own your financial assets, so it only makes sense that you can access information about them on demand. For most, a snapshot of wealth simply requires a login to your accounts. You can quickly assess if you've earned money or lost it, and quantifiably measure the change. It's important to get a "financial check-up" regularly.
Now imagine you went to a medical professional and he or she held the chart of your health data and did not share it with you, or charged you a fee, or delayed your access by days or weeks. This may not sound crazy, but familiar. You also own your health data, but unfortunately, getting a clear picture of your health status is blocked with obstructions for many patients. Most people lack on-demand access to their medical records, labs, and other key health information. This is despite rising out-of-pocket healthcare costs and increasing pressure from both health plan sponsors and providers to manage your own healthcare. But why?
While there's no question you own your financial data, only 41% of people believe they own their health data. They are right; by law, patients only own their medical records in one out of 50 states: New Hampshire. Even when it comes to health information collected on a Fitbit, digital heart-rate monitor or other device or app, 37% of consumers don't believe they are the owners of their health data. Self-collected health data remains disconnected from data in your medical records. 39% of people are unable to access all of their clinical and behavioral health data from a single source. The 'not sharing' goes both ways; 45% of consumers have never tried to share data from their health devices and apps with their doctors. At the end of the day, all of the parts never add up to a whole.
When you're not in control of your health information—every piece of it—it's hard to control your health. Nearly 50% of Americans have a chronic disease. Most are not fully aware of their health status and lack the knowledge and motivation to manage their health and spend their healthcare dollars wisely.
Easy, affordable access to comprehensive health data should be a right, not a privilege. If consumers are expected to own their health, they first need to be empowered with knowledge. They should always be able to answer three questions about their health:
1) Where do I stand?
What is the meaning of my personal clinical and behavioral health data?
2) What do I do about it?
Education, guidance, and connections to the individual care I need.
2) What's in it for me?
Motivation to take action at the right time.
The ability to access all your health data in one place is the starting point. But despite the industry's movement to electronic medical records, patients remain disconnected. Even though 78% of office-based physicians were using an EHR/EMR system by the end of 2013, 53% of consumers say they can't access their health data from a computer. Another 39% have not even tried to access their clinical health data from a mobile device.
Even when patients can get a hold of their health information, they often don't know what it means. 42-56% of consumers say they "sometimes" understand their clinical health data. 38% are confused about what the data from their devices and apps means, and only 42% know what actions they need to take after looking at this data. While millions of people are collecting terabytes of data that has the potential to illuminate health, most people remain in the dark.
Providers, insurers and employers can help empower consumers with the same access to health as wealth by doing five things:
1) Provide digital access to clinical health data anytime, anywhere.
2) Connect behavioral/lifestyle data to an individual's personal health record, so they can see the big picture in one place.
3) Offer clear analysis of health data so individuals understand what the numbers mean.
4) Provide guidance on what health actions individuals should take and when.
5) Offer motivation—and incentive as necessary—to follow-through.
Owning your health data is essential to managing your health and healthcare dollars. Let's remove the barriers to access, unite the disparate pieces, and empower ourselves to truly own our health.
Author: Bryce Williams, CEO and President at HealthMine. Bryce Williams is a leader and pioneer in healthcare consumerism. His extensive industry experience includes leading the largest private Medicare health insurance exchange at Towers Watson.
Twitter: @brycewatch
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