New Bill Requires Doctor Notes & Test Results Be Available to Patients Online
As of April 5, a new federal bill requires all doctor notes and test results be available to patients virtually and free of charge. This is great news and a welcome to change for those receiving complex diagnosis.
Patients will have an easier time reviewing notes and process information they might not have digested when first receiving diagnosis from their doctor. Joan Rush describes her experience when Jacqueline was receiving her diagnosis: “I remember when we met with the oncologist the day Jacqueline was diagnosed, I explained it like being in a Peanuts movie where the adults (the doctor) just say wah wah wah. It was very overwhelming. I really didn’t hear anything he said. It was all gibberish in my head.”
Receiving medical diagnosis can be very overwhelming and patients only retain a small percentage of information they hear. Having immediate access to these notes and test results will not only help patients better understand their diagnosis, but also allow them to have an open conversation with their doctors.