Patients like online health records access

When patients at the VA Medical Center in Portland, Ore., were given access to key parts of their electronic health records such as visit notes, lab results and discharge summaries, they believed that the ability to view their records helped them in many ways. They said they gained knowledge about their health, did a better job of taking care of themselves, had an easier time talking to their doctors and participated more fully in office visits, according to a new study in the Journal of Medical Internet Research. On the other hand, some veterans were disturbed when they saw inconsistencies, previously undisclosed information, or derogatory language, said researchers.