Patients need access to their medical records—now (11 July 2024)

Summary

Patients, particularly those with long term conditions, have a pivotal role in managing their own health, but too often they are left to struggle without the tools to do the job, the most basic of which is being able to view their medical record. In this article, members of the BMJ's patient advisory panel look at variations in patient access to health records, and the nature and number of portals that patients have to use to access this information. They examine the benefits of giving patients access to their health information and argue that providing easy to use portals will allow patients to effectively manage their conditions and advocate for their own health.