Parent Perspectives on Pediatric Inpatient OpenNotes

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Informatics
• Patient Engagement
• Pediatric Healthcare

Background:

• OpenNotes, a movement sharing clinical notes with patients, is adopted by 169 U.S. health systems.
• Limited research exists on note sharing during pediatric hospitalizations and parental perspectives.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore parental perspectives on sharing inpatient clinical notes with parents of hospitalized children.
• To identify potential benefits and challenges of this practice.

Main Methods:

• A focus group was conducted with eight parents of children hospitalized at a Midwest children's hospital.
• Qualitative analysis was used to identify themes regarding the sharing of daily inpatient notes.

Main Results:

• Key benefits included enhanced family education, improved communication and continuity of care, and increased patient/family advocacy and empowerment.
• Primary challenges involved concerns about note content, potential communication barriers, and negative impacts on families.

Conclusions:

• Parents perceive significant benefits in accessing their child's inpatient notes, alongside identifiable challenges.
• Consideration of healthcare professional impact is also crucial for successful implementation.