As a member of a group of experienced and enthusiastic proponents of patients' access to and use of their professional health care record I agree that "patients and their caregivers need to understand what their disease is and benefits and risks of therapy and proper monitoring for therapy."
There are many search engines available to citizens and it is very helpful if patients/citizens have the correct classification of information to search for. Many patient access to records patient portals now create links from patients' coded diagnoses to appropriately accurately selected explanatory information such as Patient Education on Blood, Urine, and Other Lab Tests | Lab Tests Online-UK "
“About Lab Tests Online-UK
“Lab Tests Online-UK is written by practising laboratory doctors and scientists to help you understand the many clinical laboratory tests that are used in diagnosis, monitoring and treatment of disease. It is produced by the Association for Clinical Biochemistry and Laboratory Medicine in collaboration with the Royal College of Pathologists and the Institute of Biomedical Science. Lab Tests Online-UK was established in 2003 with the aid of a grant from the Health Foundation and was financially supported by the Department of Health. It is currently funded by the Association for Clinical Biochemistry and Laboratory Medicine, the Royal College of Pathologists and the Institute of Biomedical Science.” “The most brilliant site! Very user friendly and easy to understand for those of us who are confused or curious about our conditions and test results.”
I would recommend this response letter from a patient to the BMJ in 2017: Implementing person centred approaches | The BMJ in which Oliver Crowton, builder, Glossop, a patient, writes [read in full: https://www.bmj.com/content/358/bmj.j4126/rr-2 ]:
"I read with interest the recent editorial on ‘Implementing Person Centred Approaches’ (BMJ 2017;358:j4126). I must first of all clearly state that I am neither an academic nor a health professional, I am a builder. A builder with a chronic disease (Ulcerative Colitis) that I have lived with for the last 5 or so years...
"I have found that access to my medical data, including test results, consultation details, diagnosis history etc. has empowered me as a patient...
"In short I am no longer a passenger, I am now very much part of the management team for the effective treatment of my condition and I am pleased to say that I am managing to remain in good health."
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
