New tools for Seattle’s tech savvy health consumers to track their health care details
“Our patients want OpenNotes, and it will help them to become involved and educated partners in their medical care,” says study coauthor Joann G. Elmore, M.D., M.P.H., and professor at the University of Washington School of Medicine and Harborview Medical Center. She adds, “I can provide better care to my patients when they are actively engaged and knowledgeable about their health.”
Legislation is moving toward putting more patient information online. The Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act (part of the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act) promotes the use of accessible electronic medical records, modernizing technology in clinics across the country, O’Neill says. “Part of these improvements include the tools and systems that can connect to personal systems like HealthVault, making it easier for people to gather and share up-to-date records.”
PHRs will be essential as clinics try to bring patients more choices—and peace of mind. As Handley puts it, “Information is therapy.”
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