GPs are ‘skeptical’ about accessing your medical records online as they think it will make you ‘worry more’

GPs are ‘skeptical’ about letting patients view their own medical records online, as this could make them ‘more concerned’.

GPs fear that patients will find the data ‘more confusing than useful’.

An international team of researchers, including from the Universities of Plymouth, Manchester and Bristol, examined the impact of giving patients full access to their GP records.

All GP practices are required to give patients in England online access to new information when it is added to their records. This includes any test results and any details of any prescribed medications.

Older information, such as vaccination records, may be hidden but is available upon request.

Patients can view their records using the NHS app or by logging into their account on the NHS website.

But researchers said there is ‘limited knowledge about the views of doctors in Britain about patients accessing their medical records online’.

They surveyed 400 GPs across England and found that only a third (33 percent) thought it was a good idea.

Nine in ten (91 percent) believed such access would make patients “more concerned,” while 85 percent believed their patients might find the data “more confusing than helpful.”

The authors of the study, led by academics from Uppsala Universitet in Sweden and Harvard Medical School in the US, said most GPs ‘believed the practice would worsen workload’, after 60 per cent said a majority of patients would find significant errors in their files. , and 89 percent said the initiative would take time to answer patients’ questions about their records.

The majority (81 percent) say that consultations are already taking longer than before, or that this will continue to happen.

Nearly three-quarters (72 percent) said they would be ‘less forthcoming’ in their documentation as a result of the changes.

About 62 percent said they believed online access would “increase their litigation.”

But seven in ten (70 percent) GPs said giving patients access would give them more control over their care, while 60 percent said such a move would help patients remember their care plan.

“GPs in our sample were skeptical of ORA (access to online records) because they believed patients would be more concerned and find their records confusing rather than helpful,” the authors wrote.

‘Most GPs also felt that the practice would make workload worse.

‘However, the majority of GPs in this study also agreed that there were several benefits to patients accessing their primary health records online.’

Data released in December showed that 81 percent of GP practices in England allowed patients to access their records online.

Professor Kamila Hawthorne, President of the Royal College of GPs, said: ‘We want our patients to be more engaged and interested in their care, and for this reason the college has always been in favor of giving people access to their medical care online. files.

‘There is evidence that this has benefits for patients, such as giving patients more control over their health and helping them remember care plans – things recognized by the majority of GPs surveyed in this study.

‘However, respondents’ concerns are valid and should be carefully identified and managed.’

An NHS spokesperson said: ‘As most GPs surveyed for this research agree, these changes will bring significant benefits to patients who will feel more in control of the details of their care, with more than 24 million people already can view test results and consult consultations. taking notes and ordering repeat prescriptions via the NHS App – which at least 3.1 million people do every month.”

Previous research from the health agency found that early adopters of the initiative ‘saw no noticeable increase in workload’ and some GPs reported a reduced burden due to fewer data access requests and fewer calls from patients requesting test results.