We also undertook a small study to measure the knowledge of patients about their medical history before and six months after having access to their medical records.
We know that patients forget 40 - 80% of what they're told immediately - Patients' memory for medical information - PMC (nih.gov)
Here is the result of our small study:
Testing the health literacy of twenty Bangladeshi patients before and 5 months after they begin to access their GP electronic record | British Journal of General Practice (bjgp.org)
The study was too small to be taken on its own and needs to be repeated on a larger scale, however the results were positive - each patient increasing their test score of knowledge about their medical history.
Testing the health literacy of twenty Bangladeshi patients before and 5 months after they begin to access their GP electronic record
Richard Fitton, Amir Hannan, Ingrid Brindle, Shafia Begum and Sarwar Shah
Br J Gen Pract 2018; 68 (suppl 1): bjgp18X697133. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3399/bjgp18X697133
Abstract
Background Patients with higher health literacy enjoy better health outcomes and are more compliant with treatment. Health literacy is a product of memory, reason and imagination. Patients who can access their records have potentially more memory (knowledge) and make less phone calls to and have less consultations with their GP, practice nurse, HCA and other professionals.
Aim The study aims to measure the knowledge that twenty Bangladeshi patients with poor English have of their medical history before and after access to their electronic record.
Method 55% of patients at Thornley House have access to their medical records. A simple questionnaire was given to 20 Bangladeshi patients before and 5 months after access to their electronic record. The questionnaires recorded the patients’ knowledge of their medical histories. The scores of the completed before and after questionnaires were compared to see if record access had increased patients’ knowledge.
Results Five patients completed before and after questionnaires. Each achieved a higher score after record access. The differences in scores for the five patients were 2, 5, 1, 10, and 1, respectively.
Conclusion Health literacy for patients is similar to medical literacy for doctors. It requires knowledge, skills and attitudes. We will see whether record access can increase knowledge. Further studies might measure whether that increased knowledge improves skills and attitudes.
HIFA profile: Richard Fitton is a retired family doctor - GP. Professional interests: Health literacy, patient partnership of trust and implementation of healthcare with professionals, family and public involvement in the prevention of modern lifestyle diseases, patients using access to professional records to overcome confidentiality barriers to care, patients as part of the policing of the use of their patient data. Email address: richardpeterfitton7 AT gmail.com
