January 2025

Looking Back at 2024: A Year of Growth, Discovery & Collaboration in OpenNotes Research


As we step into a New Year, it's the perfect time to reflect on the achievements of the past year.


In 2024, OpenNotes celebrated a year of transformative research and collaboration, with ten publications advancing transparent communication and innovation. Learn more about our highlights from the past year.

Catherine (Cait) M. DesRoches, DrPH

Executive Director, OpenNotes


Diagnosis in the Era of Digital Health and Artificial Intelligence: Proceedings of a Workshop


Read about how AI and digital health are reshaping diagnosis. Insights from a 2024 National Academies of Medicine workshop include open notes' role in safety and communication, featuring work by Sigall K. Bell, MD, on tools like OurDX. Learn more.




Podcast: “Overcoming Barriers to Make Patient-Partnered Research a Reality”


Liz Salmi joined ASCO’s Journal of Clinical Oncology Podcast to discuss breaking barriers in patient-partnered research and why closing the loop with participants matters. Hear her story and insights with Suzanne George, MD, Chief of the Division of Sarcoma at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Listen now.




Welcome New OpenNoter: Claudia Weitman, MS 🎉


Meet Claudia Weitman, MS! As a Research & Administrative Assistant at OpenNotes, Claudia supports research and implementation initiatives promoting transparency in healthcare. With a background in economics, she brings a unique lens to exploring the human side of health transparency. Learn more about Claudia.


Journal of Medical Internet Research (JMIR)

What We're Reading


"Insights and Trends in Open Note Access: Retrospective Observational Study" (JMIR)


In a new study published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research, Baswal et al. found that open note access at Erie County Medical Center was more associated with women and those in their 30s/50s. COVID-19 notes dominated access in 2021-2022, with use declining post-pandemic. Mobile use dropped with age, highlighting web portals’ importance for older adults.


Citation: Badwal RS, Cavo P, Panesar M. Insights and Trends in Open Note Access: Retrospective Observational Study. J Med Internet Res 2024;26:e55982. doi: 10.2196/55982 [open access]

The Washington Post: “Should you trust an AI-assisted doctor? I visited one to see."


Doctors like Christopher Sharp, MD, at Stanford Health Care, see potential in AI reducing administrative burdens, but Adam Rodman, MD, of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, warns of risks from “AI slop” in care. Read article. (paywalled)



The Washington Post


Cancer World: “Academic publishing is a maze of tests and barriers for patients as researchers and readers”


Patients face barriers in academic publishing as contributors and readers. Maria Hägglund, PhD, Associate Professor at Uppsala MedTech Science & Innovation Centre, warns “we’re missing out on high-quality reflections from patients.” Advocates are calling for solutions to make publishing more accessible and equitable. Hägglund was also the first Keane OpenNotes Scholar. Read more.




OpenNotes is now on Bluesky

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