More than 6 million Americans have unrestricted online access to their medical records, thanks to “OpenNotes,” an initiative launched in 2010. Early research suggests OpenNotes and similar programs hold promise for engaging patients in their care, strengthening doctor–patient relationships, and even improving adherence to care regimens. Although not all clinicians are on board, the movement is starting to make converts of even some former skeptics. Tom Delbanco, M.D., a Harvard Medical School professor who leads the OpenNotes initiative with his colleague, Jan Walker, R.N., talked with us about how it all got started, dealing with doctors’ apprehensions, and what’s next.
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