How OpenNotes Could Change Health Equity
Official title: How Do OpenNotes Policies Affect Healthcare Disparities? A Computational Approach
Funded at George Washington University · NIH-11468859 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A small, tech-based study will look at how giving patients access to their notes affects care for people who experience health disparities.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | George Washington University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Washington, United States) |
| Project start | September 16, 2024 |
| Project end | June 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $190,839 |
| NIH project number | 7R21MD019870-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11468859 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults who receive care under OpenNotes policies and who belong to populations experiencing health disparities.
✕Less likely to help
Patients not using OpenNotes or those whose care is not influenced by documentation quality may see little direct benefit.
What this research studies
This project uses computer tools to analyze how medical notes change after OpenNotes policies are put in place, with a focus on populations that have historically faced higher health disparities. By comparing language in notes before and after the policy, researchers will spot trends in clarity, completeness, and potential misunderstanding. The work aims to create user-friendly NLP tools to detect documentation changes and guide policy makers on mitigating harm while preserving transparency. The study is grounded in real-world medical records from diverse patient groups to understand the patient-facing impact of OpenNotes.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, it could help ensure OpenNotes improves transparency without worsening documentation quality for underserved patients.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work in health informatics shows that policy-driven note changes can affect documentation quality, though this project adds a computational health disparities lens.
Where this research is happening
-
George Washington University
Washington, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Zirikly, Ayah — George Washington University
- Study coordinator: Zirikly, Ayah
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.