Patient record access--the time has come

Area of Science:

• Health Informatics
• Patient Empowerment
• Digital Health Records

Background:

• Multiple global systems now allow patients to access their electronic health records (EHR).
• Access methods include secure kiosks with fingerprint authentication and online portals.
• The UK National Health Service (NHS) approach and legal framework for patient record access are detailed.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the benefits and risks associated with patient access to electronic health records.
• To explore the implications of patient record access on clinical documentation practices.
• To advocate for national standards in electronic health record sharing.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of existing research on the benefits and risks of patient EHR access.
• Analysis of the UK NHS model for patient record access.
• Discussion of potential impacts on record-keeping and the need for standardization.

Main Results:

• Patient access to EHR is considered an irreversible trend.
• With simple precautions, patient EHR access is safe and provides benefits to patients and clinicians.
• Record access may lead to a co-produced documentation model.

Conclusions:

• Patient access to electronic health records is safe and beneficial.
• Simple precautions are sufficient to mitigate risks associated with EHR access.
• Development of national standards for record sharing is crucial for future implementation.