Access to medical records under proposal

Should patients have unrestricted access to their electronic laboratory test results?

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services thinks so, and HHS Secretary Kathleen Sibelius proposed a new rule Sept. 12 that would allow such access.

“When it comes to health care, information is power,” Sibelius said at the first-ever HHS Consumer Health IT Summit in Washington, D.C. “When patients have their lab results, they are more likely to ask the right questions, make better decisions and receive better care.”

Sounds good, but some in the medical profession aren’t so sure, expressing concerns that some patients could become confused…