Cancer patients' satisfaction levels can be improved by allowing them access to their organised medical record (OMR).
This is according to research published in Cancer, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society.
The randomised study of 350 patients recently diagnosed with breast cancer, colon cancer or lymphoma, revealed that 98 per cent of people who are given the opportunity to view their OMR will choose to do so.
After a number of people were excluded for various reasons, the researchers then analysed 295 patients and found that their anxiety levels and quality of life scores were similar to people who hadn't been given access to their records.
This suggested that the physicians' concerns that allowing patients to access their records could increase anxiety are somewhat unfounded.
Furthermore, those who had access to their information were 1.69 times more likely to feel satisfied with the information and 1.86 times more likely to feel that they were fully informed.
© Adfero Ltd
Cancer treatment news : 28 May 2011
