Here are 10 concepts about sharing notes and why it may be beneficial for patients:
1. Many patients do not ignore health issues when they are visible in writing.
2. Some physicians have opted to use MedStar, a program that allows physicians to share notes with patients. MedStar has clinical studies available in their program including a pre-diabetes clinical study.
3. Open Notes was a pilot note sharing program that was devised five years ago. The program was created when Harvard Medical School teamed with the Pennsylvania-based Geisinger Health System and Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.
4. The aim of Open Notes was to grant patients access to physician’s office notes to determine whether this access would have an impact on patients’ health decisions.
5. Approximately 5 million people use physicians who share office notes according to Open Notes.
6. This note-sharing initiative is making headway with over 20 institutions across the nation taking part in Open Notes.
7. Open Notes is following the healthcare trend on increasing patient engagement.
8. Note sharing is also influenced by health law and the earlier financial stimulus law that set financial incentives for physicians to use electronic health records and connect virtually with patients.
9. Open Notes could also alter physician-patient relationships by making the patients better equipped to catch errors and communicate clearly with their physicians.
10. Some critics of open notes claim that a patient may not fully understand what they are reading and therefore will misinterpret their physician’s notes.
For more articles on note sharing:
Access to Physician Notes Can Boost Patient Engagement, Adherence to Care Plans
