In this new editorial for BMJ Quality & Safety, Sigall Bell, MD and Cait DesRoches, DrPH reflect on how access to medical notes can improve the quality of care, but only if patients are able to read and understand them. In the time between medical visits, when patients are monitoring their own health, AI may open a new frontier.
Quality and Safety
Changes in Documentation After Implementing Open Notes in Mental Health Care: Pre-Post Mixed Methods Study
https://doi.org/10.2196/72667 Background The practice of providing patients with digital access to clinical narrative documentation by health care professionals (HCPs) is known as open notes. In mental health care, this innovation has the potential to increase transparency and foster greater trust in the treatment process. While open notes may improve the quality of care and patient…
Chaplains’ Charting in the USA in the Era of “Open Notes:” Recommendations from a Quality Improvement Project
This paper addressed the particular needs of chaplains in oncology settings where relationships tend to be longer. It recommends using strengths-based language, avoiding language that suggests disbelief, shortening notes, and using documentation to extend spiritual care.
A multicenter randomized trial to improve family clinical note access and outcomes for hospitalized children: The Bedside Notes study protocol
https://doi.org/10.1002/jhm.70155 Introduction The 2021 Cures Act mandates caregiver access to their child′s medical notes with few exceptions, yet fewer than 10% access notes during hospitalization. Caregiver review of real-time notes facilitates identification of safety concerns and may enhance patient safety in pediatric hospitals. This trial will evaluate the Bedside Notes intervention—a multifaceted approach to enhance…
AI-supported Digital OpenNotes in Primary Care Setting
AI could be a solution to many challenges in primary care such as time constraints and difficulties in patient understanding. However, there are risks of inappropriate or inconsistent responses. A new German research alliance is studying this emerging field.
People Overtrust AI-Generated Medical Advice despite Low Accuracy
This article presents an analysis of how artificial intelligence (AI)–generated medical responses are perceived and evaluated by nonexperts. The increased trust placed in inappropriate AI-generated medical advice can lead to misdiagnosis.
Hospitalized patient portal access in the post-information blocking rule era
This single-center, cross-sectional observational study highlights low patient portal utilization among hospitalized patients and disparities in access based on race/ethnicity, gender, age, and insurance status.
Patients and families reading their discharge summaries: A cross-sectional analysis of benefits, concerns, and implications
Rapidly spreading information transparency could transform how patients engage in care and communicate with clinicians. Patients and families report benefits from reading discharge summaries; however, over a quarter reported a concern.
Diagnosis in the Era of Digital Health and Artificial Intelligence: Proceedings of a Workshop—in Brief
How might AI, digital health technologies, and open notes transform diagnosis while addressing health disparities? Read highlights from the National Academies Forum on Advancing Diagnostic Excellence.
Gaps in the coordination of care for people living with dementia
This study examines care coordination breakdowns reported by patients living with dementia (PLWD) or their care partners. Interventions to improve communication across different care teams are needed to minimize the harmful effects of gaps in care coordination.
Except where otherwise noted, the content by OpenNotes is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
