Data sharing between patients and hospitals, in various forms, is on the rise according to a new report from the American Hospital Association, based on a 2015 survey of more than 3,500 hospitals. Among the findings are that 92 percent of hospitals offer patients the ability to view their medical records, up from 89 percent in 2014, and 37 percent offer patients some way to transmit patient-generated health data, compared to 30 percent in 2014.
“Hospitals are offering individuals more electronic access to their medical information than ever before,” the AHA wrote in the report. “Patients also have a growing ability to interact with their providers and to perform routine tasks online. As more hospitals are able to offer these services, individuals will have more insight into their medical data and the ability to interact with care providers at times and in ways that are convenient for the patient.”