Advocating for Healthcare Transparency at an International Scale

July 9, 2024

Sydney, Australia — This week, Liz Salmi’s powerful presentation at MEDINFO in Sydney, Australia, was made available online. The presentation weaves together the history of the OpenNotes movement, a robust evidence base around the benefits of health information transparency, and Liz’s personal journey as a brain cancer patient.

Liz’s journey began with her 2008 diagnosis and the subsequent treatments she endured. Her engagement with her online patient portal highlighted the value of accessing medical information and communicating with doctors. However, her 2017 experience of changing healthcare providers underscored the need for better patient access to clinical notes.

In the presentation, Liz 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. The presentations concludes with the impact of the 21st Century Cures Act in the U.S., which vastly expanded patient access to their medical information. Salmi encouraged global adoption of similar measures, advocating for curiosity and openness in healthcare to empower patients and enhance care. Watch the presentation here.

OpenNotes thanks the organizers of MEDINFO and the Australasian Institute of Digital Health (AIDH) for granting access to this presentation.

About OpenNotes

OpenNotes is an international movement spreading, studying, and teaching transparent communication among patients, families, and clinicians. When clinical notes are shared with patients, they are called ‘open notes.’ OpenNotes is motivated by evidence indicating that when health professionals offer patients and families ready access to clinical notes, the quality and safety of care improves. Primarily focused on research and education, OpenNotes is a not-for-profit and is based at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, a major Harvard Medical School teaching hospital.