When patients have access to their doctors’ visit notes, they have a better understanding of their health care, according to a study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine this week.
The study shared findings from OpenNotes, a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation-supported initiative in which, over the course of one year, 105 doctors shared their notes with more than 19,000 patients at three health centers around the country—Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston; Geisinger Health System in Danville, Pa.; and Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.
The study revealed that patients who participated in OpenNotes felt more in control of their health care, experienced improved recall of their care plan, and reported they were more likely to take their medications as prescribed. Doctors’ fears about the added time burden and offending or worrying patients did not materialize, and many doctors reported that note-sharing strengthened their relationships with patients, including enhancing trust, transparency, communication, and shared decision-making.
- Read the Annals of Internal Medicine study, accompanied by a patient editorial, as well as commentary from a doctor working in the Department of Veterans Affairs.
- Read RWJF Chief Technology and Information Officer Stephen Downs’ blog post on The Health Care Blog.
- See OpenNotes in action.
