Journal article
Patient Experiences With Full Electronic Access to Health Records and Clinical Notes Through the My HealtheVet Personal Health Record Pilot: Qualitative Study
Journal of medical Internet research, Vol.15(3), pp.182-191
03/01/2013
DOI: 10.2196/jmir.2356
PMCID: PMC3636169
PMID: 23535584
Abstract
Background: Full sharing of the electronic health record with patients has been identified as an important opportunity to engage patients in their health and health care. The My HealtheVet Pilot, the initial personal health record of the US Department of Veterans Affairs, allowed patients and their delegates to view and download content in their electronic health record, including clinical notes, laboratory tests, and imaging reports.
Objective: A qualitative study with purposeful sampling sought to examine patients' views and experiences with reading their health records, including their clinical notes, online.
Methods: Five focus group sessions were conducted with patients and family members who enrolled in the My HealtheVet Pilot at the Portland Veterans Administration Medical Center, Oregon. A total of 30 patients enrolled in the My HealtheVet Pilot, and 6 family members who had accessed and viewed their electronic health records participated in the sessions.
Results: Four themes characterized patient experiences with reading the full complement of their health information. Patients felt that seeing their records positively affected communication with providers and the health system, enhanced knowledge of their health and improved self-care, and allowed for greater participation in the quality of their care such as follow-up of abnormal test results or decision-making on when to seek care. While some patients felt that seeing previously undisclosed information, derogatory language, or inconsistencies in their notes caused challenges, they overwhelmingly felt that having more, rather than less, of their health record information provided benefits.
Conclusions: Patients and their delegates had predominantly positive experiences with health record transparency and the open sharing of notes and test results. Viewing their records appears to empower patients and enhance their contributions to care, calling into question common provider concerns about the effect of full record access on patient well-being. While shared records may or may not impact overall clinic workload, it is likely to change providers' work, necessitating new types of skills to communicate and partner with patients.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Patient Experiences With Full Electronic Access to Health Records and Clinical Notes Through the My HealtheVet Personal Health Record Pilot: Qualitative Study
- Creators
- Susan S. Woods - Portland VA Medical CenterErin Schwartz - Portland VA Medical CenterAnais Tuepker - Portland VA Medical CenterNancy A. Press - Oregon Health & Science UniversityKim M. Nazi - Veterans Health AdministrationCarolyn L. Turvey - Iowa City VA Health Care SystemPaul Nichol - University of Puget Sound
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Journal of medical Internet research, Vol.15(3), pp.182-191
- DOI
- 10.2196/jmir.2356
- PMID
- 23535584
- PMCID
- PMC3636169
- NLM abbreviation
- J Med Internet Res
- ISSN
- 1438-8871
- eISSN
- 1438-8871
- Publisher
- Jmir Publications, Inc
- Number of pages
- 10
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 03/01/2013
- Academic Unit
- Psychiatry; Epidemiology
- Record Identifier
- 9984281651002771
Metrics
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