Report: Accessing Physicians’ Notes Might Fuel Concerns
Although patients might become more involved with their health care if they view their doctors' notes online, they also might become unnecessarily alarmed if the notes speculate about serious medical conditions or use misleading terminology, according to a preliminary report on a new research project called OpenNotes. The yearlong project -- which is receiving funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation -- aims to assess the effects of providing patients with access to the notes their physicians make during consultations.
- "What the Doctor Is Really Thinking" (Landro, Wall Street Journal, 7/20).
- "Your Doctor's Notes, With the Click of a Mouse" (Pittman, Reuters, 7/20).
- "Doctor's Notes: You Can Read Them, But Should You?" (Roan, "Booster Shots," Los Angeles Times, 7/19).