Here are four things to consider:
1. Studies have proven that patients are more prone to trust their physicians if they read what the physicians wrote about them. A 2010 study revealed 80 percent of 20,000 patients who viewed clinical notes took better care of themselves.
2. This access has presented complications, however, as patients don’t understand physicians’ terminology. For example, a patient won’t know that “SOB” indicates “shortness of breath.”
3. Now, physicians may have to drop their acronyms and write in language that patients understand. This idea goes beyond just acronyms, as certain words like “fat” and “noncompliant” will read as offensive.
4. Some physicians argue changing their shorthand would be too time-intensive or create lengthy clinical notes.
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