Research use of electronic health records: patients' perspectives on contact by researchers.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

The use of electronic health records (EHRs) for research has the potential to improve the diagnosis and treatment of disease, yet contact with patients based on results of EHR phenotyping has received little attention. Researchers will almost certainly discover discrepancies in EHRs that call for resolution and, in some cases, raise the ethical dilemma of whether to contact patients about a potentially undiagnosed or untreated health concern. The objective of this study was to explore patients' attitudes and opinions about potential contact by researchers who have had access to their EHRs.

Materials and methods

We conducted 15 focus groups in four diverse counties in the southeastern United States. We designed vignettes to describe different situations in which res

SUBMITTER: Brelsford KM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6118867 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature