Sharing Clinical Notes with Patients: Benefits, Risks, and Challenges
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Availability
On-Demand
Expires on Jan 16, 2026
Credit Offered
1 CME Credit
1 Psych CE Credit
1 COP Credit

OpenNotes is an international effort where patients are given access to their medical records and clinical notes. Benefits of OpenNotes include increased patient engagement with care, adherence with medications, and satisfaction with care among many others. OpenNotes has been utilized in primary care, speciality care, and even mental health settings. Yet there is often more resistance in using OpenNotes for people with serious mental illness despite a lack of evidence for withholding it. This presentation introduces the concept of OpenNotes, explore the evidence in mental health and SMI, review how OpenNotes can be trialed today often using patient portals, and suggest tips for how to use sharing of electronic medical records to improve overall care.

Learning Objectives

  • List four benefits of OpenNotes for care of patients with SMI
  • Evaluate patients for interest and ability to benefit from OpenNotes
  • Describe how to share notes with patients, discuss the program with patients, and ensure your notes are readable by patients with SMI

Target Audience

Counselor, Physician (non-psychiatrist), Psychiatrist, Psychologist

Instructional Level

Introductory

Estimated Time to Complete

Estimated Duration: 1.0 hours 
Program Start Date: January 16, 2023
Program End Date: January 16, 2026

Review Date: December 28, 2022

Ongoing Interdisciplinary Discussion Board

If there are any topics covered in this webinar that you would like to discuss with colleagues in the mental health field, post a question or comment on SMI Adviser’s Webinar Roundtable Topics discussion board (https://smiadviser.org/discussion).This is an easy way to network and share ideas with other clinicians who participate in this webinar</spanstyle="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"calibri",sans-serif;>

How to Earn Credit

Participants who wish to earn AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™, CE credit for psychologists, or a certificate of participation may do so by completing all sections of the course, including the evaluation. A multiple choice quiz is provided based on the content. A passing score of 75% must be achieved. Retakes are available for the test. After evaluating the program, course participants will be provided with an opportunity to claim hours of participation and print an official CME certificate (physicians), CE certificate (psychologists), or certificate of participation (other disciplines) showing the completion date and hours earned.

Continuing Education Credit

Physicians

The American Psychiatric Association (APA) is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians. 

The APA designates this enduring activity for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Psychologists

The American Psychiatric Association is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. The American Psychiatric Association maintains responsibility for this program and its content.

Continuing education requirements vary from state to state. Many state boards grant reciprocity with national accrediting organizations and other state boards. It is the responsibility of each professional to understand the requirements for license renewal or check with the state or national licensing board and/or professional organization to become more familiar with their policies for acceptable continuing education credit. Social workers and Psychologists should contact their regulatory board to determine course approval.

Faculty and Planner Disclosures

Instructor

  • Charlotte Blease, PhD, is currently a Keane Scholar at OpenNotes, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center/Harvard Medical School. Dr. Blease reports no financial relationships with commercial interests.  

Planners

  • Teri Brister, PhD, LPC, National Alliance on Mental Illness. Reports no financial relationships with commercial interests. 
  • Amy N. Cohen, PhD, American Psychiatric Association. Reports no financial relationships with commercial interests. 
  • Tristan Gorrindo, MD, American Psychiatric Association. Reports no financial relationships with commercial interests.
  • John Torous, MD, MBI, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Disclosure: Investigator-initiated research funding - Otsuka.

Reviewers

  • John Torous, MD, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Dr. Torous has no relevant financial relationships to disclose. (Reviewed on 1/4/23)
  • Amy N. Cohen, PhD, American Psychiatric Association. Dr. Cohen has no relevant financial relationships to disclose. (Reviewed on 12/28/22)
  • Teri Brister, PhD, LPC, National Alliance on Mental Illness. Dr. Brister has no relevant financial relationships to disclose. (Reviewed on 1/4/23)

Accessibility for Participants with Disabilities

The American Psychiatric Association is committed to ensuring accessibility of its website to people with disabilities. If you have trouble accessing any of APA’s online resources, please contact us at 202-559-3900 for assistance.

Technical Requirements

This internet-based CME activity is best experienced using any of the following:

  • The latest and 2nd latest public versions of Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, or Safari
  • Internet Explorer 11+

This Web site requires that JavaScript and session cookies be enabled. Certain activities may require additional software to view multimedia, presentation, or printable versions of the content. These activities will be marked as such and will provide links to the required software. That software may be: Adobe Flash, Adobe Acrobat Reader, Microsoft PowerPoint, and Windows Media Player.

Optimal System Configuration:

  • Browser: Google Chrome (latest and 2nd latest version), Safari (latest and 2nd latest version), Internet Explorer 11.0+, Firefox (latest and 2nd latest version), or Microsoft Edge (latest and 2nd latest version)
  • Operating System: Windows versions 8.1+, Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard) +, Android (latest and 2nd latest version), or iOS/iPad OS (latest and 2nd latest version)
  • Internet Connection: 1 Mbps or higher

Minimum Requirements:

  • Windows PC: Windows 8.1 or higher; 1 GB (for 32-bit)/2 GB (for 64-bit) or higher RAM; Microsoft DirectX 9 graphics device with WDDM driver; audio playback with speakers for programs with video content
  • Macintosh: Mac OS X 10.5 or higher with latest updates installed; Intel, PowerPC G5, or PowerPC G4 (867MHz or faster) processor; 512 MB or higher RAM; audio playback with speakers for programs with video content

For assistance: Contact educme@psych.org for questions about this activity | Contact SMIAdviserHelp@psych.org for technical assistance

Funding for SMI Adviser was made possible by Grant No. SM080818 from SAMHSA of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement by, SAMHSA/HHS or the U.S. Government.
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