News: Access to EHR clinical notes makes chronic condition patients more likely to continue care plan

Access to EHR clinical notes lead patients with more than two chronic conditions to better remember their care plan, adhere to medications as prescribed, and overall gain a better understanding of their medications, according to a study published by The Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

All patients in the survey were over the age of 65 and had read at least one EHR clinical note in the year before the survey, though most respondents had read two or more clinical notes in the prior year.

Those patients with more than two chronic conditions were more likely to report that reding the clinical notes helped them stay engaged in their care and have a better understanding of their medications and care plan. These patients were therefore more likely to remember their care plan and feel more in control of their medications, therefore leading to higher rates of medication adherence.

The survey also found that very few patients reported confusion about their healthcare plan or medications when reading their EHR clinical notes. Authors did note that the benefits of information blocking regulations will only be harnessed if patients or their care takers can access the data in a way that is easily understandable.

Editor’s note: The Journal of the American Geriatrics Society published survey can be found here.