AMA survey cites patient concerns with data security

Editor's note: The following is an edited excerpt from our sister publication, HealthLeaders.

Patients are increasingly concerned about eroding security and the confidentiality of personal health information in digital form, according to a survey recently authorized by the American Medical Association (AMA).

More than 92% of patients say privacy is a right and their health data should not be available for purchase, the survey finds.

Savvy Cooperative surveyed 1,000 patients at the start of 2022 for the AMA, and found that they are worried about data privacy protections and confused about who can access personal health information.

Almost 75% of those surveyed are concerned about protecting the privacy of personal health data. Only 20% of patients said they know how many companies and individuals have access to their data. The recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling over abortion rights is heightening these concerns, the AMA says, since a lack of data privacy may put patients and physicians in legal jeopardy where states are restricting reproductive health services.