Hospitals in pursuit of excellence

Stage 1 Survey Findings: Annals of Internal Medicine, December 20, 2011

Supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's Pioneer Portfolio, OpenNotes is being tested by more than 100 doctors and 21,000 patients in Boston, rural Pennsylvania and Seattle. Researchers are surveying patients and doctors about their expectations before and experiences after engaging in OpenNotes to measure how perceptions for both doctors and patients have changed regarding the benefits and risks. They will also examine how patients and doctors use open visit notes and what difference it has made to the way patients engage with their health and how care is delivered. Up until now, there has been little evidence about the merits or drawbacks of making medical notes available to the patient.