I talk a lot about the need for education and have commented frequently on how are consumers going to understand how to use “Quicken Health” if they don’t understand how to use a personal health record?  Intuit confirms this now with their own study.  This is not rocket science research, just ask any consultant who works with physician practices and helps consumers right on the front line.  I think this is a big clue here with technology, pay attention to what those say who are on the front line and have “hands experience”, also something I say quite a bit in order to distinguish value with information versus those who simply repeat what they hear, in other words what I call “Magpie Healthcare”. 

I announced insurance companies making their software available, but how many have a clue on how to use it?   The reality here is that I walk into practices that don’t even know what a personal health record is, and that includes staff and doctors that have no clue.  With each announcement last year, I made the very same prediction with a lack of education and knowledge on how to use the software tools.

Again when you are out there interacting with the real world in healthcare and not just looking at computer screens, this is not hard to realize or predict at all.  Maybe I could have saved them some money on the cost of the study here (grin), but there’s other data included as well as far as those who can’t afford to pay their bills too and nobody in that category is going to show any interest with software either to manage dollars that they don’t have.  BD 

UnitedHealthcare To Offer Quicken Health Expense Tracker to 700,000 Employer Health Plan Enrollees

This is interesting that Intuit put out their findings as how do you have a market for software if people don’t get it and see any value, and I’ll add the same here for Personal Health Records as this all flows together.  If you don’t participate at some level with technology this is all going to fly over your head in a hurry as insurers are shifting this area of responsibility to patients so they can attempt to understand the complicated “algorithms” they provide for claim coverage, procedures and potential denials, one big confusing haze today as it changes all the time and with leaders that don’t quite get it either as most of them don’t participate and subscribe to the philosophy of “it’s for those guys over there.  BD

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Apr 27, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Nearly 40 percent of Americans currently do not understand their medical bills or explanation of benefits statements well enough to know what services they are paying for, why they owe that amount, and if that amount is correct.

These and other results from the Intuit's 2010 Financial Healthcare Check-Up were released by the Quicken Health Group, a division of Intuit Inc. The study of 1,000 consumers nationwide uncovered Americans' attitudes and behaviors surrounding their healthcare needs and medical expenses.

"This study brings to light what we've seen in the thousands of hours of in-home visits over the last few years as we developed our healthcare solutions. People are confused, struggling and looking for help as they try to cope with mounting costs and increasing financial responsibility," said Peter Karpas, president and division general manager of Intuit's Quicken Health Group. "There is a growing demand for online healthcare tools that give consumers greater control over their personal health and wellness services, better communication and interaction with their providers, and the confidence that they have the information they need to make better financial decisions."