Beginning July 10 you and your proxies will have quicker access to your medical information via your NorthShoreConnect account.
While you’ve always had access to your medical records, a new federal regulation—the 21st Century Cures Act—requires that we expedite the process so you can access information in an easy and timely manner.
Specifically, you and your proxies will have more timely access to clinical notes used by your physicians and care team members to communicate with each other. Below are answers to frequently asked questions regarding clinical notes.
Q: What is the 21st Century Cures Act?
A: The Cures Act is a federal law designed to promote innovation in patient data delivery and enhance electronic health information sharing. You will be able to access this information more quickly beginning July 10, 2021.
Q: What additional personal health information will the Cures Act now make available to me?
A: In addition to the ‘After Visit Summary’ you typically receive when your care visit is complete, you will now have access to your physician or care team member’s detailed clinical notes.
Users who have proxy access to your NorthShoreConnect account will also be able to view your clinical notes. We recommend that you review who has proxy access to your account by going to the ‘Account Setting’ menu and clicking the ‘Personalize’ activity.
Q: Where can I access the additional clinical notes?
A: You may access the information via NorthShoreConnect.
- Log-in to your account and click ‘Visits’ at the top of the page.
- Locate your associated visit and click ‘View notes’ to see your provider or care team’s clinical notes.
Q: How do clinical notes differ from my after-visit summary?
A: Clinical notes are medical documents used by physicians and care providers to communicate with each other. These documents include medical language and terminology, abbreviations, and treatment information that may sound technical and at times possibly unfamiliar. In addition, at times, the verbiage may appear blunt or direct. These documents are one tool providers use to communicate relevant information and clinical opinions of the care providers in a way that allows common understanding of the clinical context.
Q: What if I have questions about my clinical notes?
A: Please know that your medical team is available to address any questions you have about your care or health status, as well as that of your child or other proxy’s care.
- If you have questions that require a short response from your physician, please use the NorthShoreConnect ‘Message My Doctor’s Care Team’ function or by contacting your provider’s office.
- If you have many questions and you wish to discuss in greater detail, please schedule a follow up appointment with your provider. This visit would be billed based on the scope of visit and any additional services provided. You can schedule an appointment via NorthShoreConnect or by contacting your provider’s office.
Q: What if I disagree with information listed in the clinical notes?
A: You have the right to request an amendment to your medical record if you believe the information is incorrect or incomplete. The amendment would include the information you believe is in error, and your proposed corrections to that information.
If your doctor is not part of the NorthShore, Swedish Hospital, or Northwest Community Hospital Medical Groups, please make your request for amendment directly to your doctor’s office
If you would like to request that a note be amended, you may send a ‘Customer Service Question’ through NorthShoreConnect ‘Medical Record Correction’ in order to have your request further reviewed. However, clinical notes are part of your physician(s) and care team’s assessment; and therefore, any amendment request will be at NorthShore’s discretion based on a review of the note. Factual information will not be amended or removed.
If your doctor is not part of the NorthShore, Swedish Hospital, or Northwest Community Hospital Medical Groups, please make your request for amendment directly to your doctor’s office.
If you do not have a NorthShoreConnect please submit a written summary of your amendment request to the NorthShore Privacy Office via:
- NSC: Send a message > Ask a customer service question > Medical Corrections Request
- Fax: 847.492.4192
- Email**: hipaa@northshore.org
- Mail: NorthShore University HealthSystem, Compliance Department – Privacy Office, 1301 Central Street, Room 140, Evanston, IL 60201
**Sending amendments with your medical information by regular email, i.e. Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo, AOL, etc., may not be secure, may be at risk of being intercepted by other parOes, and may not be covered under the HIPAA Privacy and Security Rules. You may contact hipaa@northshore.org to send an amendment form by secure email and that you can return by secure email
Q: How can I access my complete medical history?
A: Patients may request a full copy of their NorthShore medical record, including historical notes, via the ‘Medical Records’ tab in NorthShoreConnect Medical Records Activity or contact the Independent provider’s office for outpatient records.