The Electronic Health Record is globally accepted as a necessity:

• to better meet patient expectations,
• to expedite many tedious work processes such as prescription writing and creation of chart notes, service administration, research, planning and audit, communication between patients and providers, fiscal governance
• to create new ways in which the health of our patients can be improved
• to improve cost efficiency due to raising demands of healthcare and the aging population
• Portability - travel, second opinions, emigration, working abroad, distant working and support for developing countries and as part of aid, war, famine and assistance to refugees While professional experience with the EHR is generally positive, there are even more opportunities for improving care with the EHR once patients have access to their own records.

Evidence-based benefits include:

• Improving the relationship between clinician and patient
• Improving trust between patient and clinician
• Practical support for patients in managing their health
• Improving compliance
• Patients feel empowered to make decisions about their health?
• More efficient use of consulting time

The Record Access Collaborative is being developed as a service to the public, patients, health services and industry. The aim is to bring together those across the world who have an interest in seeing record access more widely available and maximising benefits that flow from it and to be instrumental in managing practical and technical aspects concerning patient record access in relation to local/national policies.
Read more on the goals of the RAC.

RAC Newsletter December 2007

Source:

“Welcome to the Record Access Collaborative Progress Report which covers the last 3 months or so. As always activity and developments in the field have been steady.
In the UK, Wales is developing full records access to practices. HealthSpace has begun its pilots, accompanied as always by controversy. EMIS/PAERS has gone national, switching on all EMIS practices for record access if they want to take it up.
In Europe, we feature France and Germany as they begin trials of record access. In the US, Microsoft and Google are entering the field, stimulating a lot of controversy, reflected here.
Patient experiences are featured again and remain very positive.
As an introduction, however, we feature 2 important contributions. The first is a letter from the GMC endorsing record access in principle – we see this as reassuring to clinicians. Also, a link to an interesting and balanced overview of record access from the BMJ.”
Newsletter
Brian Fisher, December 2007

7 January 2008 | No Comments »
Categories: EHR, News, RA General, RA News, RAC, Record Access

RAC Newsletter July 2007

Source:

“As usual, there has been a lot going on, both in the UK and elsewhere.
In the UK, the highlights are perhaps:

• the Early Adopter sites for the Summary Care Record going live in 2 areas of the UK.
• The continuing enlargement of the 100 practice pilot enabling an increasing number of practices to enable full patient record access
• The pushing forward of the eHealthCard that is now being offered to practices in the UK
• The resignation of Richard Granger who runs the IT programme in the UK. This may offer a more open approach to IT development

In Europe, the recent ICMCC conference in Amsterdam highlighted record access and offered a number of concrete developments, in Estonia, the Czech Republic and in the Netherlands.
But first, developments outside Europe.”
Newsletter
Brian Fisher, July 2007

16 July 2007 | No Comments »
Categories: EHR, News, RA General, RA News, RAC, Record Access

RAC Contribution by Denis Protti

Source:

A rare treat! We have an original article by Prof Denis Protti, Professor, Health Information Science at University of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, written especially for this Record Access Collaborative edition.
[ More ]

4 June 2007 | No Comments »
Categories: EHR, News, RA General, RA News, RAC, Record Access

RAC Newsletter March 2007

Source:

“The record access collaborative is being developed as a service to the public, patients, the NHS and industry. The aim is to bring together those who have an interest in seeing record access more widely available and maximising benefits that flow from it.
The NHS has made a clear statement of principle that patients should be able to access their records, subject to legal safety restrictions. There is good evidence of substantial benefits for patients.”
Newsletter
Brian Fisher, March 2007

29 March 2007 | No Comments »
Categories: EHR, News, RA General, RA News, RAC, Record Access

How Much Information Should Patients See? All of it

Source: Keith W. Boone, Healthcare Standards

“One of the provisions of the HITECH Act and the regulations that have been either created or proposed as a result of it is that patients should be given copies of their health information, including problems, medications and allergies, but also discharge summaries, instructions and procedures.
[ More ]

8 February 2010 | No Comments »
Categories: EHR, EHR USA, News, RA News, Record Access, USA

MedischeGegevens.nl biedt inzage in ziekenhuisdossier

Source: NPCF

“medischegegevens.nl maakt persoonlijke medische informatie direct toegankelijk voor patiënten in een veilige internet-omgeving.
[ More ]

2 February 2010 | No Comments »
Categories: EHR, EHR Netherlands, Netherlands, News, RA News, Record Access

Patients demand health records. Employers can help.

Source: Collin Evans, Dossia Blog

“A recent CNN.com article (http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/01/14/medical.records) entitled “Patients demand: ‘Give us our damned data’” highlights the barriers that many patients must overcome in order to get access to their own medical records.
[ More ]

30 January 2010 | No Comments »
Categories: EHR, EHR USA, News, RA News, Record Access, USA

Americans Don’t Trust Feds to Protect Patient Health Record Database

Source: Cheryl Clark, HealthLeaders Media

“Nearly two-thirds of Americans who answered a phone survey last month said they do not trust the federal government–including the U.S. Health and Human Services Agency–to protect their health record privacy.
[ More ]

27 January 2010 | No Comments »
Categories: EHR, EHR USA, News, RA News, Record Access, USA

As Health Files Go Digital, Patients May Spot Unpleasant Surprises

Source: Fred Schulte, Huffington Post Investigative Fund

“When Kaiser Permanente started giving patients online access to their medical records nearly five years ago, it offered the same lab reports doctors saw—complete with warning flags highlighting any abnormal results.
[ More ]

27 January 2010 | No Comments »
Categories: EHR, EHR USA, News, RA News, Record Access, USA

Requirement to Provide Patients an Electronic Copy of Their Record

Source: Brian Ahier, Healthcare IT

“The proposed rule on meaningful use will require that patients are provided with an electronic copy of their health information (including diagnostic test results, problem list, medication lists, and allergies) upon request.
[ More ]

21 January 2010 | No Comments »
Categories: EHR, EHR USA, News, RA News, Record Access, USA

Patient Portal Provides Secure Online Access to Medical Records

Source: theMobileHealthCrowd

“According to LSS Data Systems, Citizens Memorial Healthcare have rolled out their web-based LSS Patient Portal. Since their pilot implementation at two of their clinics last spring, CMH has extended the portal to patients to approximately 10 of their clinics, enabling secure online access to their medical record information via Citizens’ own web site.
[ More ]

20 January 2010 | No Comments »
Categories: EHR, EHR USA, News, RA News, Record Access, USA

Zorgportaal Rijnmond maakt uitwisselen patiëntengegevens makkelijker en veiliger

Source: Medicalfacts

“Zorgverleners in de regio Rijnmond kunnen binnenkort gemakkelijker medische informatie met elkaar delen. Daardoor daalt de kans op medicatiefouten of, bijvoorbeeld, het over het hoofd zien van een allergie. Zorginstellingen die deel uitmaken van het Zorgportaal Rijnmond gaan hiertoe gebruikmaken van dezelfde internationale standaarden.
[ More ]

13 January 2010 | No Comments »
Categories: EHR, EHR Netherlands, Netherlands, News, RA News, Record Access

Now Reading: Proposed CMS Rule for EHR Incentives (from a patient access perspective)

Source: Ted Eytan, MD

“I love rules and regulations, and I don’t mean that sarcastically, because a rule or a regulation isn’t a rule or regulation.
[ More ]

11 January 2010 | No Comments »
Categories: EHR, EHR USA, News, RA News, Record Access, USA

Tory manifesto has records for all

Source: Sarah Bruce, e-Health Insider

“David Cameron has promised that online health records will underpin a new direction for the NHS if the Conservative Party is elected in this year’s general election.
[ More ]

4 January 2010 | No Comments »
Categories: EHR, EHR UK, News, RA News, Record Access, UK, UK EHR

Now Reading: “Concern that sharing information with patients may cause sustained psychological distress is probably unfounded”

Source: Ted Eytan, MD

“I’m not that smart and my ideas are not that unique.
This is why I enjoy writing the posts that are tagged “where we came from” on this blog.
[ More ]

18 December 2009 | No Comments »
Categories: EHR, EHR USA, News, RA News, Record Access, USA

For the record: It’s your health

Source: The Leader-Post

“The diagnosis is blunt: Six years after Saskatchewan residents were given the right to see their personal health records, access is “more complicated and more difficult than is necessary”.
[ More ]

17 December 2009 | No Comments »
Categories: Canada, EHR, EHR Canada, News, RA News, Record Access

Patient control over patient data in electronic health records: A work in progress

Source: David Harlow, HealthBlawg

“In my post on the Declaration of Health Rights (linked to above), I wrote that one key approach to ensuring that there be more widespread sharing of data would be for participatory-medicine-minded health care providers to revise their Notices of Privacy Practices (NPPs) (as they will have to by February, thanks to the Son of HIPAA rules under the HITECH Act effective then). One reason for my suggestion that the change come from the provider side is very pragmatic.
[ More ]

17 December 2009 | No Comments »
Categories: EHR, EHR USA, News, RA News, Record Access, USA

Presentation: Experience with sharing medical records with patients, Consumer Partnership for eHealth

Source: Ted Eytan, MD

“I am giving the attached presentation at the Consumer Partnership for eHealth meeting today, in Washington, DC.
[ More ]

14 December 2009 | No Comments »
Categories: EHR, EHR USA, News, RA News, Record Access, USA

Consultation on use of records

Source: e-Health Insider

“The Department of Health is to launch a series of pilots to examine how patients can opt out of having their records viewed for research purposes after its consultation found a wide gap between the views of researchers and the public.
[ More ]

2 December 2009 | No Comments »
Categories: EHR, EHR UK, News, RA News, Record Access, UK, UK EHR

Microsoft, Google Face Off On Healthcare

Source: Mitch Wagner, InformationWeek Healthcare

“Microsoft and Google are taking their rivalry to the doctor’s office, running competing services that allow people to store their medical records online for access by family members and healthcare providers.
[ More ]

1 December 2009 | No Comments »
Categories: EHR, EHR USA, News, RA News, Record Access, USA

Practice Fusion Adds Free PHR

Source: John, EMR and EHR

“There’s no doubt that Practice Fusion has been making a big splash in the world of EMR. They were the first EMR company that I’d seen that was pioneering the “free” ad based EMR on the web.
[ More ]

18 November 2009 | No Comments »
Categories: EHR, EHR USA, News, RA News, Record Access, USA

New PHR Lets Patients See What Their Doctor Sees

Source: Glenn Laffel, EHR Bloggers

“In 1895, German physicist Wilhelm Rontgen stumbled upon an image that had been created when X-rays passed through his wife’s hand and then exposed a photographic plate. The image revealed the bones and soft tissue of her hand in exquisite detail. No one had even dreamed this was possible.
[ More ]

18 November 2009 | No Comments »
Categories: EHR, EHR USA, News, RA News, Record Access, USA

The Health Internet vs. the NHIN — A Matter of Control, Cost, and Timing

Source: David C. Kibbe and Brian Klepper, The Health Care Blog

“There is growing tension within the Obama administration’s health team over who will control health data exchange: everyone (including consumers and their doctors), or just large provider organizations. The public debate will be framed in terms of privacy, security, and the adequacy of current exchange standards.
[ More ]

16 November 2009 | No Comments »
Categories: EHR, EHR USA, News, RA News, Record Access, USA

How our practice website offers online records access

Source: Pulse

“To overcome the grim legacy left by Harold Shipman and restore patients’ trust in our practice, the Haughton Thornley Medical Centres website (www.htmc.co.uk) had to be something different.
[ More ]

13 November 2009 | No Comments »
Categories: EHR, EHR UK, News, RA News, Record Access, UK, UK EHR

Will Electronic Personal Health Records Benefit Providers and Patients in Rural America?

Source: Hargreaves, John S., Telemedicine and e-Health, 2010

Purpose:
The objective of this study was to educate stakeholders (e.g., providers, patients, insurers, government) in the healthcare industry about electronic personal health records (PHRs) and their potential application in rural America.
[ More ]

20 January 2010 | No Comments »
Categories: EHR, RA Research, Record Access, Science, USA

Implementation of an emergency medical card and a continuity of care

Source: Olola, C. H. O. et al, Methods of Information in Medicine, 48(6)

Objectives:
To describe the design and implementation procedures for an emergency medical card (EMC) and a continuity of care (CoC) report using the continuity of care record (CCR) standard. We also describe studies to evaluate the effectiveness of these documents in CoC.
[ More ]

13 December 2009 | Comments Off
Categories: EHR, EHR USA, Patients, RA Research, Record Access, Science, USA

Adopting Confidentiality Principles for Electronic Health Records in Iran: A Delphi Study

Source: Farzandipour, Mehrdad et al, Journal of Medical Systems, online first

A growing capacity of information technologies in collection, storage and transmission of information has added a great deal of concerns since electronic records can be accessed by numerous consumers at various locations. Thus, the basic question is “what kind of Model is suitable for guaranteeing the confidentiality of EHR information in Iran?” The present study is a descriptive investigation made in Iran in 2007.
[ More ]

22 September 2009 | No Comments »
Categories: EHR Iran, Iran, RA Research, Record Access, Science

New Zealanders’ attitudes towards access to their electronic health records: Preliminary results from a national study using vignettes

Source: Hunter, Inga M. et al, Health Informatics Journal, 15(3)

This project investigates public attitudes towards sharing confidential personal health information held in electronic health records (EHRs). The project uses computer assisted telephone interviewing (CATI) to conduct a quantitative national survey of the attitudes of New Zealanders towards access to their personal health information using vignettes. Respondents are presented with vignettes which describe ways in which their health information might be used, and asked about their attitude to and consent for each type of access.
[ More ]

1 September 2009 | No Comments »
Categories: EHR, EHR New Zealand, New Zealand, Patients, RA Research, Record Access, Science

How Patients Use Access To Their Electronic GP Record – A Quantitative Study

Source:

Electronic medical records have been defined as “an electronic application through which individuals can access, manage and share their health information – in a private, secure and confidential environment”. There are now a number of systems across the world that en-able patients to view their medical health records. We do not know how patients make use of information they access in their records nor has the impact of access on their health behaviour been assessed. Some studies suggest that RA improves self care and compliance in chronic disease, improves relationships between patients and clinicians by breaking down barriers, providing reassurance, and improving confidence and trust. However, few studies have involved actual users of RA in primary care, although there are studies of sharing the screen with patients in a consultation. Building on earlier qualitative research (not yet published), this paper presents the findings of a survey of a large population of patients who use RA in primary care with a view to understanding who uses it, what they use it for and, from self-reported data, what impact it has on health care behaviour.

Abstract
Brian Fisher (PAERS, UK) (to be presented at ICMCC@WC2009)

20 July 2009 | 2 Comments »
Categories: 2009, EHR, RA Research, Record Access