When patients have access to their physician notes through an online portal, their rates of medication adherence tends to go up, according to a study in Journal of Medical Internet Research.
Researchers examined the medication adherence rate of adult patients at Danville, Pa.-based Geisinger Health System who were taking at least one antihypertensive or antihyperlipidemic agents. Patients were invited and reminded to read their primary care physicians' notes through the web portal, while control patients still had access to the web portal but did not have access to the notes.
Researchers found patients on antihypertensive medication who were able to read their physicians' notes had higher rates of medication adherence than those who did not have access, at 79.7 percent and 75.3 percent, respectively.
However, patients on antihyperlipidemic agents had similar rates of medication adherence, regardless of access to notes, at 77.6 percent adherence for those invited to read the notes versus 77.3 percent who didn't.
Researchers concluded the availability of fully transparent records to patients may modify their behavior in "clinically valuable ways."
More articles on health IT:
Epic, athenahealth high performers in MU attestation; Allscripts shuffles leadership; Cerner conference kicks off Sunday — 12 health IT key notes
My biggest mistake: 8 CIOs share missteps & how they recovered
9 vendor contracts, go-lives