Sharing Psychotherapy Notes with Patients: Therapists' Attitudes and Experiences

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry and Mental Health
• Health Informatics
• Patient Engagement

Background:

• Online patient portals facilitate sharing clinical notes, potentially improving patient engagement and relationships.
• The impact of open psychotherapy notes on clinical social workers' experiences and attitudes requires examination.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore clinical social workers' experiences and attitudes regarding the practice of sharing psychotherapy notes with patients.
• To identify potential benefits, challenges, and workflow implications of open psychotherapy notes.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative study employing focus groups and telephone interviews with clinical social workers.
• Analysis of experiences from therapists who shared notes and those who did not.

Main Results:

• Most participating therapists were positive about open notes, reporting minimal workflow disruption.
• Therapists showed hesitancy in discussing notes during sessions and often discussed benefits hypothetically.
• Concerns about therapeutic relationships and patient well-being were raised by non-sharing therapists, with a notable focus on electronic health record visibility.

Conclusions:

• Open psychotherapy notes show promise for patient engagement but require careful implementation.
• Therapist hesitation and concerns about electronic health records warrant further investigation.
• Future research and training programs are needed to support therapists in adopting open note practices.