Heads Up: That Patient Portal May Contain Your Therapy Notes

September 26, 2024

Man sitting on a couch

(New York Times) – Health care systems have been putting therapists’ progress reports online, much to the surprise (and anger) of some patients.

In the past, if patients wanted to see what their therapists had written about them, they had to formally request their records. But after a change in federal law, it has become increasingly common for patients in health care systems across the country to view their notes online — it can be as easy as logging into patient portals like MyChart.

While transparency can be a good thing, some patients and health care experts are asking: Can too much transparency cause harm to mental health patients? And many providers are grappling with how to write progress notes when they are so easily accessible. (Read More)