As the OpenNotes movement continues to grow, a broad variety of journalists, patients and health care professionals are taking note. Even better, they’re sharing the facts, data, opinions and experiences of those sharing medical notes. See what the buzz is all about.
Using a multipart approach, a novel “open notes” curriculum prepares the next generation of learners to employ clinical notes as a tool to communicate with patients and providers, and introduces key ethical considerations on how documentation can enhance or harm therapeutic relationships with patients.
Drawing upon 15 years of advocacy and research, OpenNotes unveiled today the OpenNotes Lab, the organization’s new effort to explore novel approaches to investigating and designing interventions across the realms of clinical documentation, medical records and patient safety and engagement.
“After controlling for sociodemographic and clinical factors, the odds of a loop closure were 20% higher in tests or referrals for patients with a portal account, and 40% higher in tests or referrals for note readers, compared with those not registered for the patient portal,” said Dr. Bell, lead author for the study.
OpenNotes has evolved since the first published study over a decade ago. Dr. DesRoches says the focus now is on enhancing the patient experience and ensuring that technology, like predictive and generative AI, is leveraged to address challenges related to diverse patient populations. Importantly, she asks, “how might we share documentation in a way that ensures success for patients, families, and clinicians?”
In recognition of National Caregiver’s Month, Providence has launched a new video designed to increase shared access to the patient portal. Through this video, patients and care partners can gain a clear understanding of the benefits of shared access as well as step-by-step instructions for granting shared access through Providence’s instance of MyChart.
OpenNotes is pleased to announce the launch of a new patient-facing resource, How to Use Open Notes. How To Use Open Notes aims to fulfill needs expressed by healthcare professionals for tools that facilitate discussions among patients, their families and clinicians about notes written in medical records (“open notes”).
OpenNotes partnered with The Light Collective—a national patient advocacy organization—to jointly submit public comment to the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) on the Proposed HTI-1 Rule on Health Data, Technology, and Interoperability.
In 2023, NYHealth selected 14 non-hospital systems from across the state for grants totaling nearly $800,000 to support them in sharing open notes effectively with patients. NYHealth has long supported the spread of open notes throughout New York State. Most recently, in response to the note-sharing mandate, NYHealth supported a cohort of 16 hospitals to go from good to great in their note-sharing and associated patient engagement.
