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Patients want easy access to any notes their doctor has recorded about them, and they want the right to let others view their medical information, according to a pair of U.S. studies, which surveyed more than 37,000 patients and more than 170 primary care doctors. Advocates of open-access medical records say they are not only a patient's right but will help boost the quality of care as well. "We believe there is abundant evidence that having patients actively participate in their care and know what's happening, will improve their care," said Dr. Kenneth Shine, the executive vice chancellor for health affairs at the University of Texas System, who wrote an editorial accompanying the studies. Annals of Internal Medicine, Dec. 2011 |
