When it comes to keeping patients safe, every detail matters—and now there’s a new resource to help. OpenNotes has launched a Patient Safety Toolkit designed for healthcare professionals like you, making it easier to use open notes to improve care and strengthen patient partnerships.
If you’ve been curious about how sharing visit notes with patients can boost safety, here’s what you need to know.
Why Open Notes Matter for Patient Safety
Think of open notes as a secret weapon for building trust and improving safety with patients. By letting patients read and review their visit notes, you open the door to:
- Ensuring you and your patient are on the same page: Whether it’s a medication mix-up or an outdated lab result driving decision-making, patients can help spot inaccuracies in their notes that might otherwise go unnoticed and affect care. Reading notes also helps patients better understand the rationale for tests, referrals, or medications – and how to take medications correctly.
- Preventing missed or delayed diagnoses: Encouraging patients to engage with their notes can reduce the chances of diagnostic errors. Patients often remember key details in their own history or family history that may not have come up in the visit or been recorded in the note, or notice something important that’s missing—information that can make all the difference. Reading the note also helps them to remember to complete diagnostic tests or referrals in a timely manner.
- Building stronger relationships: Let’s face it—transparency builds trust. Open notes let patients feel more involved and confident in their care, and that can lead to better outcomes.
Learn more and find citations that back up these claims in the Patient Safety toolkit.
What’s Inside the OpenNotes Patient Safety Toolkit?
The Patient Safety Toolkit is packed with practical tools and ideas to bring open notes into your practice:
- OurDiagnosis (OurDX): This innovative tool helps identify possible diagnostic missteps in outpatient care, giving patients a voice in spotting and addressing concerns early.
- Educational resources: Simple, ready-to-use materials to help patients and clinicians understand the value of open notes and how to use them effectively. (Find the patient-facing version of our safety toolkit at How To Use Open Notes.)
How You Can Use Open Notes to Make Care Safer
Getting started with open notes is easier than you might think. Here are a few tips to make the most of this approach:
- Invite feedback: Encourage your patients to read their notes and let you know if something doesn’t look right.
- Make it easy to report issues: Set up a system so patients can quickly share concerns, whether it’s through the toolkit’s feedback tool or another method.
- Talk about open notes: Educate your team about why open notes matter and how they can create a safer, more collaborative care experience for everyone.
Why It’s Worth It
When patients and providers work together, amazing things can happen. Open notes empower patients to be active participants in their care while giving you an extra layer of protection against errors. It’s a win-win for everyone involved.
Want to learn more? The OpenNotes Patient Safety Toolkit is ready for you to explore. It’s time to take patient safety to the next level—together.
👉 Check out the OpenNotes Patient Safety Toolkit for clinicians here!
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