The President of Singapore Medical Association (SMA) inform that The National Electronic Health Record (NEHR) was set up as a central repository of patients’ summarised health records drawn from and shared across healthcare providers. All public healthcare institutions currently contribute patient data and have access to NEHR. The proposed Health Information Bill (HIB) intends to make it mandatory for all licensed healthcare providers to contribute patient data to NEHR.
SMA Survey Overview:
- Conducted a survey with 2,100 respondents to evaluate public sentiments towards the National Electronic Health Record (NEHR).
General Support for NEHR:
- 92.2% of respondents support the implementation of NEHR to varying extents.
Preference for Records in NEHR:
- 27.7% of respondents would definitely like to have their records maintained in NEHR.
- 56% would like their records in NEHR but want explicit consent before healthcare providers can access them, except during emergencies.
Opt-Out and Privacy Concerns:
- 11.3% of respondents want to opt out of NEHR to varying extents.
- 45.3% are concerned about their medical information being accessible to all attending doctors.
It is stated that the HIB will put in place safeguards for data sharing to protect patient confidentiality and respect patient autonomy. This will give patients the confidence to make NEHR the repository of choice for their health information.
