Health tech entrepreneur, Arvind Raichur, has closely watched the evolution of healthcare data over the years as consumers primarily overlooked it.
He predicts that lackadaisical approach to healthcare data will drastically change in 2024 as more consumers become aware of their medical records and want to own it.
Studies estimate up to 70 percent of health records can contain errors or inaccurate patient information. These errors can lead to wrong prescriptions, expensive diagnostic tests or worse - a misdiagnosis of a disease.
Raichur founded DrOwl – a secure mobile health platform - as a way for consumers to securely track and protect their healthcare records. Since then, DrOwl has established connections with the country’s largest health record systems as well as The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the Department of Veterans Affairs, enabling consumers to bring all of their health records into one location on their phone.
“You want to know if there is a mistake in your credit report, so why wouldn’t you want to know if your medical records contain an error that could lead to a dangerous misdiagnose,” said Raichur. “For patients with chronic health conditions like diabetes, the information is critical. There is no margin of error when it comes to our health and prescriptions.”
In 2021, Congress enacted a section of the Cures Act that gives all patients the right to aaccess their records through the app of their choice. Up until that point, it was extremely difficult for patients to acquire or review their health records from hospitals or doctors offices.
A 2023 study from the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology suggests consumers are becoming more aware of their health data. The government agency found more consumers are logging into their health portals and reviewing their medical records on mobile apps like DrOwl. The report also found the share of consumers accessing their online medical records or patient portal more than doubled between 2014 and 2022.
DrOwl is a free medical platform that allows consumers to download all of their medical records into one place. The mobile health platform contains a personalized patient portal that translates medical jargon and codes into an easy-to-understand language.
Navy veteran Tim Quinn is one of those consumers who got on board with owning his health records. He had voluminous medical records from all over the world after he served in Iraq, and connected all of his medical records with DrOwl.
“You don’t have to be tech savvy to understand DrOwl. It’s very simple to use,” said Quinn, who is from Louisiana. “I was also able to better understand my medical history by using their personalized search engine that was customized to my personal health records. I feel like I am able to better understand my health now.”
Findings from HealthIT Report
The study from the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology found about 3 in 5 adult Americans accessed their online medical record or patient portal in 2022. That represents a 50 percent increase since 2020.
It also found more healthcare providers and insurers are offering online access to the patient’s medical records. Roughly 75 percent of all respondents said their healthcare provider or insurer offered them online access to their medical records, representing a 24 percent increase over the last 3 years.
“It’s important for consumers to pay attention to these health records,” said Raichur. “In the ER, seconds matter. Physicians and nurses are moving 100 miles an hour and will refer to your medical records for quick decisions, and many times without talking to you. Your medical records stay with you for life. You should know what’s in there.”
Consumers can download DrOwl on iOS or Google Play.
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