Access and Use of Electronic Health Information by Individuals with Cancer: 2017-2018

Excerpt

Nearly 40 percent of individuals will be diagnosed with cancer at some point in their lifetime. For these individuals, access, exchange, and use of electronic health information is critical to managing their complex health needs. Patient access to online medical records enable these individuals to track their health information, communicate with their care team, and request refills of medications. In 2016, the President's Cancer Panel sought to improve cancer-related outcomes with connected health by calling attention to enabling individuals to manage their health information and participate in their care across the cancer continuum. This data brief uses the National Cancer Institute's nationally representative Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS) to examine the access and use of health information technology by individuals diagnosed with cancer. To achieve a robust sample, we have combined data from the 2017 and 2018 surveys.