Understanding public trust in national electronic health record systems: A multi-national qualitative research study

Objective: Having public trust in national electronic health record systems (NEHRs) is crucial for the successful implementation and participation of NEHRs within a nations healthcare system. Yet, a lack of conceptual clarity precludes healthcare policymakers from incorporating trust to the fullest extent possible. In response, this study seeks to validate an existing framework for public trust in the healthcare system, which will help provide a clearer understanding of what constitutes public trust in NEHRs across members of the public in different countries, cultures, and contexts. Methods: Twenty-four focus groups were conducted in Austria, Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, and Switzerland with residents of each respective country to discuss their viewpoints on our public trust in NEHRs framework in order to validate said framework. Results: Frameworks describing the causes and effects of public trust in NEHRs were created for each country studied. Across all countries, the frameworks remained similar to our base framework, highlighting our frameworks' robustness. Data security, privacy, and autonomy were consistently described as the most important aspects of public trust in NEHRs. Concurrently, health system actors, such as doctors, were found to have significant influence on NEHR implementation. Their influence, however, can either be beneficial or detrimental to public trust in NEHRs, depending on their actions and how the public perceives those actions. Additional results detail contextual insights into country-specific viewpoints and the role of healthcare stakeholders in public trust in NEHRs. The results showcase the differences and similarities in which different populations across Europe view trust in NEHRs in the context of our framework. Conclusions: These findings present public trust frameworks in the context of NEHRs for the study countries. These frameworks can assist stakeholders in obtaining a comprehensive understanding of the complexity of public trust in implementing and promoting their NEHRs, including measurements of public trust.