Software firm Microsoft Corp., US, and Mayo Clinic have commissioned a new national consumer survey, according to which organising personal medical information is even more time consuming than managing most health conditions. In addition, consumers cited their own inability to remember information as a barrier to effective health management.
The study, titled 'Managing Family Health and Health Information,' resulted from an online survey of 1,065 adults that was conducted by Opinion Research Corporation in April 2010. Nearly one-third of survey respondents said they spend more time 'keeping information organised' than they do finding answers to health questions or dealing with chronic conditions such as diabetes, heart disease and arthritis.
The survey also showed that nearly nine out of 10 people (90 percent of women and 84 percent of men) have left their doctor's office without asking an important medical question or telling their physician crucial information affecting their health. Almost half confessed they do this regularly. Patients may therefore go without the answers they need to manage their health, or they may call their physicians with questions later, creating inefficiencies for providers. Even outside the doctor's office, people have a difficult time remembering vital information about family health histories (28 percent), names and doses of medication (25 percent), and when they are due for a check-up (20 percent).
Mayo Clinic and Microsoft co-developed Mayo Clinic Health Manager, a free online application that helps people organise and keep track of health information for themselves and their families. The privacy- and security-enhanced online application allows people to store their medical information and act on it, with real-time, individualised health guidance and recommendations based on the clinical expertise of Mayo Clinic.
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