GP online services in clinical care

Clinical benefits of record access

Patients can use record access as part of routine clinical care to self-manage complex health conditions, meet their personal health goals and achieve better health outcomes. Examples include:

  • using access to coded laboratory results to monitor long-term conditions and prepare for consultations
  • using the coded data recorded by the practice to check on immunisations, adverse drug reactions, allergies, screening and preventive procedures and preferences and advance decisions recorded in care plans
  • reading clinical correspondence from hospital admissions, outpatient appointments and investigations to gain a better understanding of their health and care
  • using portable access to the record on tablet computers or smartphones to share data with other health professionals in all health settings.

The Toolkit includes five clinical exemplars where the role of GP online services in helping people manage long-term conditions is discussed in more detail. Each clinical exemplar includes a guidance document, a webinar and slide set, a podcast and relevant supporting information. The aim of each exemplar is to demonstrate the different ways in which online transactional services and record access support patients and carers to manage multiple long-term conditions.