title: Continuity of information in general practice. Patient views on confidentiality.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore patient views on access to a variety of information in the medical record by the on-call general practitioner and by the practice assistant in relation to the perceived importance of this information for the personal doctor. To relate patient views to patient and practice characteristics.
  
  
  METHODS
  Postal questionnaire survey.
  
  
  METHODS
  General practice.
  
  
  METHODS
  873 patients from 35 general practices dispersed throughout The Netherlands.
  
  
  RESULTS
  20% of the patients stated that the on-call GP should not have access to their entire medical record and 44% did not support full access for the practice assistant. Patient consent to the on-call GP being allowed to access a variety of information ranged from 62% for life events to 93% for medication; and to the practice assistant from 37% for home details to 82% for medication. Patients distinguished between "medically oriented information" and "lifestyle and psychosocial information". Their views could hardly be explained by patient and practice characteristics.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patient consent to access their medical record should not be taken for granted. We need research on the effectiveness of accessible prior knowledge, and on possibilities to segregate information. Patients should be informed more fully about everyday practice.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Practice, University Medical Centre St Radboud Nijmegen, The Netherlands. H.Schers@hsv.kun.nl
authors.forename: Henk
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Schers
authors.forename: Henk
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: van den Hoogen
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Grol
authors.forename: Wil
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: van den Bosch
mesh_terms: D022126:Access to Information; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003219:Confidentiality; D005194:Family Practice / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005260:Female; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D019451:Information Management / Q000458:organization & administration*; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008499:Medical Records; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires