In the presentation, Liz Salmi discusses the transformative impact of the OpenNotes initiative, beginning with a 2012 study showing significant benefits for patients and care partners and no major changes for clinicians, and concludes with the impact of the 21st Century Cures Act in the U.S., which vastly expanded patient access to their medical information.
Press Releases
OpenNotes Names Advisors for New Lab
Following the launch of the OpenNotes Lab, the organization introduced today the first of its inaugural advisory board. With domains ranging from patient advocacy to health information technology, entrepreneurship to health policy and equity, OpenNotes Lab advisors will help inform and shape strategic initiatives the organization addresses over the next two years.
UPDATE: April Fools’! OpenNotes Unleashed: Canine Initiative Engages Dogs & Owners Through Access to Veterinarian Notes
Barking up the right tree: OpenNotes launches canine initiative! “Extending open notes to include our canine companions is a natural progression of our mission to promote transparency and patient engagement in healthcare,” said Dr. Catherine M. DesRoches, Executive Director of OpenNotes. “By giving dog owners a sniff of their pet’s medical records, we’re not just fetching information; we’re fetching better care for our beloved companions.”
New curriculum helps medical students learn bias-free language for clinical notes
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.
OpenNotes Opens Door to Expanded Partnerships: New Lab Works Toward Patient-Centered Healthcare AI
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.
Odds of “Loop closures” 20% higher for patients with portal accounts, 40% higher for note-readers
“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.
From fringe idea to federal regulation: New applications of open notes
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?”
Open Results: Patients overwhelmingly prefer immediate access to test results, even when the news may not be good
In a recent multisite survey of more than 8,000 patients who accessed their test results via an online patient portal account, researchers found that users overwhelmingly supported receiving the results immediately, even if their provider had not yet reviewed them.
Coalition for Care Partners: New initiative to support care partners through health information technology
An interdisciplinary group of colleagues and affiliate organizations are launching the Coalition for Care Partners: Connecting Care Partners to the Care Team Through Health Information Technology, a new effort to build knowledge and tools directed at strengthening health system capacity to systematically identify, engage, and support care partners in care delivery.
Research team to study audio recordings as way of sharing medical visit information with older adults
Funded by PCORI, The CHRONICLE Trial will study audio recordings as method of sharing clinic visit information with older adults. The study is in partnership with OpenRecordings and OpenNotes.
