Table 5

PCP perceptions on providing access to visit notes to patients

Site 1Site 2Site 3ALL
N=39 (%)N=22 (%)N=38 (%)N=99 (%)
Preintervention survey question
Patients will find significant errors in the notes*
 % Agree3032
 % Somewhat agree18272924
 % Somewhat disagree46415046
 % Disagree33321827
Patients will disagree with what I write
 % Agree5956
 % Somewhat agree41363738
 % Somewhat disagree33233732
 % Disagree20322123
Postintervention survey question
Patients who read their visit notes trust me more as their doctor*
 % Agree4271815
 % Somewhat agree37403236
 % Somewhat disagree17006
 % Disagree41356
 % Do not know37204536
Patient satisfaction improved
 % Yes46595853
I ordered more tests and/or referrals
 % Yes0000
Based on my experience, making visit notes available to patients online changed my risk for lawsuits
 % Risk decrease8905
 % Risk no change20452126
 % Risk increase3032
 % Do not know69457667
  • The ‘ALL’ column represents average results, accounting for the proportion of respondents at each site.

  • *Providers unable to provide an estimate of the percentage of their patients who read open visit notes were not asked this question (N=61).

  • PCP, primary care physician.