A new poll suggests the majority of Canadians are ready to embrace more technology in health care, and it seems many would even trust a private company like Google or Apple with personal data if that meant 24-hour access to their doctor.
The report, titled “The Future of Connected Health Care,” found many respondents believed technology can reduce wait times and improve access through virtual visits, and that robot-assisted surgery can improve overall health.
The Ipsos poll was conducted between June 26 and July 2 on behalf of the Canadian Medical Association. Its findings were released Thursday.
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When asked, most of the 2,005 respondents believed technology was already good for health care, with 68 per cent agreeing it helped their doctor keep them informed, and 63 per cent agreeing it improved their health-care experience.
Eight in 10 were interested in the ability to access all of their health information on one electronic platform and seven in 10 believed that having such a platform would reduce medical errors.
But there were also concerns – 77 per cent worried about losing human connection, 75 per cent feared risking their privacy, and 71 per cent were wary of opening the door to private health care.