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Saturday, May 6, 2023

Why It is Essential to Review your Electronic Health Record


How often do patients who read open ambulatory visit notes perceive mistakes, and what types of mistakes do they report?

Findings  In this survey study of 136 815 patients, 29 656 provided a response, 1 in 5 patients who read a note reported finding a mistake and 40% perceived the mistake as serious. Among patient-reported very serious errors, the most common characterizations were mistakes in diagnoses, medical history, medications, physical examination, test results, notes on the wrong patient, and sidedness.
In today's world, almost all doctors use electronic health records.  It is difficult to provide an accurate percentage of doctors who do not use an electronic health record (EHR) as it can vary depending on the country, healthcare system, and specialty of the doctor. However, in the United States, where EHR adoption is widely promoted and incentivized, a 2019 survey found that about 9% of physicians still used paper records exclusively, while 84% used EHRs. The remaining 7% used a combination of both. It's worth noting that the percentage of doctors using EHRs has likely increased since then. This figure was given by ChatGPT which is current only to Sept. 2023.

It is estimated 99% of doctors use an electronic health record system. 

Data systems, ie electronic records never forget. 

You must access your EHR via a portal. If you do not know what that is you can learn from ChatGPT or ask someone in your doctor's office or clinic how to go about that.  It is your legal right to be able to obtain your medical record (Federal Law).  

In the United States, there are federal laws that give patients the right to access their electronic health records (EHRs). The two main laws governing access to EHRs are the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and the 21st Century Cures Act.


The 21st Century Cures Act is a United States law enacted in December 2016 that aims to accelerate medical innovation, enhance research into diseases, and improve patient care. The law includes several provisions related to the development and approval of medical products, including drugs, devices, and biological products, as well as provisions related to mental health and substance abuse.

Some of the key provisions of the 21st Century Cures Act include:

Streamlining the clinical trial process to expedite the development and approval of new drugs and devices
- Promoting the use of real-world evidence in drug approvals
- Encouraging the development of precision medicine and the sharing of genetic and clinical data
- Investing in research on cancer and other diseases
- Providing funding to combat the opioid epidemic
- Improving mental health services and resources

Overall, the 21st Century Cures Act aims to promote innovation and collaboration among researchers, industry, and patient advocates to advance medical treatments and improve patient outcomes.
Under HIPAA, patients have the right to access their protected health information, which includes EHRs, held by covered entities such as healthcare providers, health plans, and healthcare clearinghouses. Covered entities must provide patients with their records within 30 days of the request, and they can charge a reasonable cost-based fee for copying and mailing the records.

The 21st Century Cures Act, which was signed into law in 2016, expands on the HIPAA requirement by mandating that healthcare providers and EHR vendors provide patients with access to their electronic health information in a structured, standardized format that can be easily shared with other healthcare providers and apps. This is known as the "open notes" provision, and it aims to empower patients to become more engaged in their care by giving them greater access and control over their health information.

Overall, these federal laws give patients a legal right to access and control their EHRs, which can help them make more informed decisions about their healthcare and improve the quality of care they receive.









Frequency and Types of Patient-Reported Errors in Electronic Health Record Ambulatory Care Notes | Electronic Health Records | JAMA Network Open | JAMA Network

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