A New Curriculum for Medical Students on Writing Open Notes

How might we train tomorrow’s clinicians to write notes that patients both read and trust?

With support from the Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation at Harvard Medical School, Anita Vanka, MD, and her team, developed a first-of-its-kind open notes curriculum for medical students. Read more.

Teaching Doctors to Write for Patients

As more patients read their open notes online, how should doctors write for this growing audience?

Harvard Medical School educator Anita Vanka, MD, and colleagues, developed 10 best practices for teaching clinicians to write clear, respectful, and patient-centered open notes. Read more.

Identifying, Engaging & Supporting Care Partners in Clinical Settings: Protocol for a Patient Portal–Based Intervention 

A new study, published in JMIR Research Protocols, tested a simple, and scalable patient portal intervention to identify and support care partners in clinical settings. Early results show high engagement, with over 13,000 completed questionnaires, and positive feedback from clinicians on ease of implementation. Open access.

DesRoches CM, Wachenheim D, Ameling J, Cibildak A, Cibotti N, Dong Z, Drane A, Hurwitz I, Meddings J, Naimark J, O'Donnell K, Winger C, Winnay SS, Young J, Wolff JL. Identifying, Engaging, and Supporting Care Partners in Clinical Settings: Protocol for a Patient Portal–Based Intervention. JMIR Res Protoc 2025;14:e66708. doi: 10.2196/66708

Shared Access to Adult Patient Portals: A Vital Tool for Care Partners

Join OpenNotes on April 22, from Noon–1pm ET, for a conversation hosted by the Institute for Patient- and Family-Centered Care (IPFCC).

Hear from advocates and researchers—Rosie Bartel, Catherine DesRoches, DrPH, Tim Farrell, MD, and Jennifer Wolff, PhD—about efforts to support care partners through shared portal access. Register now.

AI & Serious Illness Care: Virtual Event May 1-2

Liz Salmi will join a panel on "The Patient Perspective on AI in Serious Illness Care" at a virtual event hosted by the Coalition for Compassionate Care of California. Alongside Dave deBronkart (“e-Patient Dave”) and Dr. Grace Cordovano, they’ll explore how patients are using AI, and what it means for ethics and innovation in healthcare. Learn more and register here.

What Do Electronic Test Results Really Mean?

Many patients now receive test results online before hearing from their doctor. This is an empowering shift for patients, but can also lead to confusion and worry.

“If you are a person who is consistently below or above the reference range... it’s good for you to know that,” said Catherine M. DesRoches, DrPH, executive director of OpenNotes. Read more about how to better understand your test results.

DIY Healthcare Can Help Counter the Physician Shortage

In the face of a worsening physician shortage, Alexa B. Kimball, MD, of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, argues that empowering patients through better health literacy can promote safe and effective self-management. Read this article. (free account required)