Americans are ready to embrace electronic health records (EHRs) despite being largely in the dark about what to expect, according to a recent online survey conducted for Xerox Corporation (NYSE: XRX) by Harris Interactive®.

Only 16 percent of U.S. adults who have a healthcare provider/institution have been approached by their healthcare provider/institution to discuss converting to digital records.

The bottom line: "Ultimately, it is the patient that controls the effectiveness of treatment, his or her overall health, and perceived quality of care," said Martin Reiser, manager, Government Affairs, Xerox. "Providers can help patients and their families become well informed participants in their own care and understand how EHRs will help them get more out of the healthcare system."

Seventy-nine percent of adults who have concerns about digital medical records report stolen records to be their number one concern with regard to EHRs, followed closely by misuse of information (69 percent) and lost or damaged records (68 percent).

The bottom line: "Providers can ease this fear by discussing the security precautions taken to safeguard against data breaches," said John B. Jones, vice president, Healthcare Providers, Xerox. "By arming Americans with information on EHR basics, we can prevent some of the influence of the media hype cycle around potential security risks."

Respondents rank patients as last among groups that will benefit from digital records, reporting they have the least to gain (26 percent).

The bottom line: "Our patients find that the health records solution we've implemented with Xerox DocuShare makes access to information easier and timely," said Mara Bryant, associate vice president, Organizational Excellence and Health Information Management, White Memorial Medical Center. "There is much for the patient to gain when records go digital, it's just a matter of communicating and demonstrating the benefits - like improved patient safety."

Nearly half of all Americans are ready to toss the paper and believe EHRs will enable more efficient healthcare. A 21st century healthcare system should be powered by technology that supports the drive to put patients at the center of healthcare. Partnering with an expert to handle the technology processes involved frees up time for the providers to focus on their real business: caring for patients.

Methodology: This survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Interactive on behalf of Xerox Corporation from Feb. 17-19, 2010 among 2,180 adults ages 18 and older. Results were weighted to reflect the U.S. adult population. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated. For complete survey methodology, including weighting variables, please contact Falynne Smith at falynne.smith@xerox.com.