Easy and affordable access to medical records can help patients take charge of their own health and make smarter choices about their care, said Daniel Walker, a researcher at Ohio State University in Columbus who wasn’t involved in the opinion piece.
“Costs to access medical records prevent patient access to their health information,” Walker said by email.
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“Preventing this access restricts patient choice about where they seek their medical care, and ultimately undermines patient empowerment and patient-centered care - both of which result in better care satisfaction and outcomes,” Walker added.
When fees are too steep, patients should discuss it with their doctor directly, said Dr. Bryan Lee, an ophthalmologist at Stanford University and Altos Eye Physicians in Los Altos, California.
“I would recommend being up front and saying that the cost is a barrier to obtaining a full copy of your records,” Lee, who wasn’t involved in the paper, said by email.
“If the office staff is giving you a hard time, then discuss it directly with your doctor,” Lee added. “It's hard for me to imagine that a doctor wouldn't make an accommodation for a patient in that situation.”
SOURCE:
http://bit.ly/2jKXn6u JAMA Internal Medicine, online January 30, 2017.
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