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Providing mental health care in the context of online mental health notes: advice from patients and mental health clinicians.

Pisciotta M, Denneson LM, Williams HB, Woods S, Tuepker A, Dobscha SK. Providing mental health care in the context of online mental health notes: advice from patients and mental health clinicians. Journal of mental health (Abingdon, England). 2019 Feb 1; 28(1):64-70.

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Abstract:

BACKGROUND: The OpenNotes initiative provides patients online access to their clinical notes. Mental health clinicians in the Veterans Health Administration report a need for guidance on how to provide care, write notes, and discuss them in the context of OpenNotes. AIM: To provide mental health clinicians recommendations identified by patients and clinicians that help them effectively practice in the context of OpenNotes. METHOD: Twenty-eight mental health clinicians and 28 patients in mental health care participated in semi-structured interviews about their experiences and perceptions with OpenNotes. A rapid review approach was used to analyze transcripts. RESULTS: Analysis of interviews identified three domains of advice for mental health clinicians: writing notes that maintain the therapeutic relationship, communicating with patients about their notes and utilizing clinical notes as a patient resource to enhance care. Specific recommendations are provided. CONCLUSION: Findings provide mental health clinicians with guidance from service users and clinicians on how to leverage clinical notes to maintain - and potentially enhance -therapeutic relationships in a healthcare system in which patients are able to read their mental health notes online.




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