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Online access to doctors' notes: patient concerns about privacy.
Elisabeth Vodicka1, Roanne Mejilla, Suzanne G Leveille
1Harborview Medical Center, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98104, USA. evodicka@uw.edu
Journal of Medical Internet Research
|September 28, 2013
Summary
Patients
Area of Science:
- Health Informatics
- Patient Engagement
- Digital Health
Background:
- Online patient portals offer improved care access.
- Patient privacy concerns exist regarding online medical record access.
- The OpenNotes study investigated patient privacy perceptions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess patient attitudes toward privacy with electronic access to medical records.
- To understand privacy concerns related to online visit notes.
Main Methods:
- Nested cohort study of 3874 primary care patients.
- Surveys administered at baseline and after a 1-year intervention.
- Measured patient-reported privacy concerns regarding online access to visit notes.
Main Results:
- Approximately one-third of patients reported privacy concerns pre- and post-intervention.
- Privacy concerns were linked to race/ethnicity and doctor communication confidence.
- Most patients accessed notes and desired continued access, irrespective of privacy concerns.
Conclusions:
- Patient privacy concerns about online medical records did not deter access.
- The benefits of online record access may outweigh perceived privacy risks.
- Online access to visit notes is a valuable tool for patient engagement.
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