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Three-quarters of health care consumers want their physician to offer online access to their medical records, and one-quarter of them would pay for it, according to a new survey.

Further, more than 70% of responding consumers want this same service from hospitals; again, a quarter say they would pay for it.

Denver-based Rockhopper Research conducted the 2008 Survey of Health Care Consumers on behalf of the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions, New York. The 45-minute, Web-based survey was completed by more than 3,000 Americans who previously agreed to occasionally participate in surveys.

Other survey results, released by Deloitte at the 2008 HIMSS Conference, include:

* One-quarter of respondents say they maintain some type of paper or electronic personal health records.

*About 75% of surveyed consumers want e-mail access to their physicians and online appointment scheduling, and would pay for it. About a quarter would pay more for e-mail and 18% for the scheduling service.

* Nearly 90% support expanded use of in-home monitoring devices and online tools that can reduce the need for office visits.

* More than 80% want same-day physician appointments with their physician; 26% would pay more for it.

*Sixteen percent of respondents have already visited a retail clinic and 34% believe they may do so in the future.

More information is available at deloitt.com/us/healthcareconsumersurvey.