Almost as many people are optimistic as pessimistic about the future of healthcare, according to a new survey.
It shows that timely access to care and affordability are the key priorities.
Just 45% of people are confident in their nearest hospital emergency department to deliver services in the future.
For the nearest public hospital, just 51% are confident it will deliver appropriate healthcare in the future.
The Ipsos/MRBI poll included 1,000 interviews and was commissioned by the pharmaceutical firm, MSD.
According to the report, 'My Healthcare, My Future', the public want clear information on waiting times when in an emergency department and the ability to check appointments online.
For emergency departments, this would include a visible, transparent queuing system, whereby each patient knows where they are in the sequencing for care and ideally, how long they may have to wait.
Nearly two thirds of people believe they should be allowed access to their own medical data online.
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Most people would also use a pharmacist, rather than a GP, if appropriate.
It found that GPs are visited on average almost five times a year and pharmacists almost nine times a year.
Patients want to be treated with respect and dignity and to understand their health problem and the solution.
There is an openness among the public to greater use of electronic patient records.
The public also want the Government and the HSE to invest in making new medicines available.
The report is the first of its kind to examine the public's expectations, hopes and needs in relation to healthcare.
