Enhancing Uploads of Health Data in the Electronic Health Record - The Role of Framing and Length of Privacy Information

BackgroundThe German electronic health record (EHR) aims to enhance patient care and reduce costs, but users often worry about data security. In this article, we propose and test communication strategies to mitigate privacy concerns and increase EHR uploads. ObjectiveWe explore whether presenting a privacy fact sheet (PFS) before users must decide whether to upload medical reports in the EHR increases their willingness to do so. Our study examines the effects of framing and length of PFS on this decision. MethodsIn an online user study with 227 German participants, we used a realistic EHR click dummy and varied the PFS in terms of length (short vs. long) and framing (EHR-centered vs. patient-centered). ResultsThe results show that a PFS has a positive effect on uploading (OR 4.276, P=.015). Although there was no effect regarding the length of a PFS, a patient-centered framing increased uploads compared to an EHR-centered framing (OR 4.043, P=.003). ConclusionDisplaying PFSs at the beginning of an upload process is a cost-effective intervention to boost EHR adoption and increase uploads of medical reports. While the length of a PFS did not influence behavior, PFSs are maximally effective if they frame information in a way that emphasizes how users can exert control over their data. Willingness to upload medical data is key to the success of the EHR, including better treatments and lower costs.