Transparency in eye care requires more than explanation, it requires access. At Blue Fin Vision®, every scan performed and every clinical letter written is sent directly to the patient, every time, without exception. This includes imaging from consultation, pre-operative reassessment, day-of-surgery checks, and post-operative follow-up, each accompanied by a plain-language explanation of what was seen and why it matters.
Providing patients with full access to their records allows them to review information at their own pace, share it with family, and seek second opinions if they wish. Studies of open clinical notes show improvements in patient understanding, engagement, and trust, alongside reductions in confusion and decisional regret when information can be revisited outside the clinic. ¹ ²
Open access also ensures that patients and clinicians work from the same dataset throughout the care pathway. ² ³ This reduces miscommunication and supports genuinely shared decision-making. If something is measured, documented, or discussed, it is shared, by design, not by exception.
References
- Delbanco T, Walker J, Bell SK, Darer JD, Elmore JG, Farag N, et al. Inviting patients to read their doctors’ notes: a quasi-experimental study and a look ahead. Ann Intern Med. 2012;157(7):461-470. doi:10.7326/0003-4819-157-7-201210020-00002.
- Mold F, de Lusignan S, Sheikh A, Majeed A, Wyatt JC, Quinn T, et al. Patients’ online access to electronic health records. BMJ Open. 2015;5:e006021. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2014-006021.
- Day AC, Donachie PHJ, Sparrow JM, Johnston RL. Risks and rewards of increasing patient access to medical records in ophthalmology. Eye (Lond). 2022;36(1):23-28. doi:10.1038/s41433-021-01775-9.
Related Topics
- Why Blue Fin Vision® Leads the Way in Transparency in Refractive Surgery
- Why Do We Charge Separately for Consultations in Refractive Surgery?
- Why Do We Send Every Scan and Every Clinical Letter to Patients?
- How Do AI-Assisted Clinical Notes Improve Safety and Documentation?
- Why Is Procedure-Specific Consent Essential in Eye Surgery?
- Why Do We Record Every Refractive Surgery in High Definition?
- Why Do We Provide Written Post-Operative Letters After Surgery?
- Why Does Long-Term Written Follow-Up Matter After Refractive Surgery?
- Why Do We Treat Patient Reviews as Accountability Rather Than Advertising?
- How Do National Consent Standards Shape Our Transparency Practices?
- How Does Shared Information Enable Shared Decision-Making?
