By law, most patients have the right to access their medical records. But obtaining them can be time-consuming and expensive. A growing number of health advocates are pushing to give patients easy electronic access to physicians’ notes. They argue this improves patient care by aiding communication and reducing misunderstandings. About a dozen medical systems, including the Mayo Clinic and Kaiser Permanente Northwest, allow patients easy access to these records. But some doctors worry this could cause greater confusion and harm. In the next hour, Diane and a panel of guests discuss the pros and cons of making physicians’ notes easily accessible to patients.
Guests
Dr. Tom Delbanco
professor of general medicine and primary care, Harvard Medical School
Lynn Quincy
associate director of health reform policy, Consumer Reports
Dr. Kevin Donovan
director, Pellegrino Center for Clinical Bioethics at Georgetown University Medical Center
Dr. Michael McNamara
chief medical information officer, Kaiser Permanente Northwest
