Brief article, but well-done -- this is one of the core ideas of our start-up (though we have no direct association with OpenNotes project).
I liked this in particular: Delbanco tells me that he considers OpenNotes to be "like a new medication." Just like any new treatment, it will come with unexpected side effects.
We've been negotiating these side-effects for a few years, now, with more & more success. Many of the obvious objections ("I need to discuss test results with patients before they see them!") have simple technical solutions, so we implement them (blacklist a set of tests that have a built-in delay before the actual result is shown to patients --though they can see that a new result is ready -- and give the clinician a daily list of what patients have gotten delayed-view results).
It is difficult for many doctors to get used to the idea; I have personal experience trying to get access to letters being written between specialists about me & my treatment, and just getting evasive answers even to persistent attempts. But it's so valuable to good care.
I liked this in particular: Delbanco tells me that he considers OpenNotes to be "like a new medication." Just like any new treatment, it will come with unexpected side effects.
We've been negotiating these side-effects for a few years, now, with more & more success. Many of the obvious objections ("I need to discuss test results with patients before they see them!") have simple technical solutions, so we implement them (blacklist a set of tests that have a built-in delay before the actual result is shown to patients --though they can see that a new result is ready -- and give the clinician a daily list of what patients have gotten delayed-view results).
It is difficult for many doctors to get used to the idea; I have personal experience trying to get access to letters being written between specialists about me & my treatment, and just getting evasive answers even to persistent attempts. But it's so valuable to good care.