Psychiatrists’ Perceptions of the Benefits and Barriers Associated with Sharing Electronic Health Records and Clinical Notes with Psychiatric Patients: A Qualitative Study

Electronic health records (EHRs) constitute a collection of patients’ medical records that allow for shared access across various health care settings as well as by the patient. Whether and to what degree patients should be allowed access to the full clinical content of their EHR remains controversial, however. In the European Union, the majority of member states provide access to the EHR for patients; however, the level of access varies by member state. Some countries offer open notes to most adult citizens; although patients’ rights to access their health information has been included in the Civil Code since February 2013, Germany is currently only in the beginning stages of implementing open notes. For this study, the researchers will examine the following relevant questions as they pertain to the use of patient-accessible EHRs (PAEHRs) in Germany: What are the perceived benefits and barriers associated with PAEHRs when working with psychiatric patients? What benefits and barriers are associated specifically with collaborative documentation? How can perceived barriers be overcome? Should the degree of patient access be modified depending on current diagnoses and/or symptom severity?