An analysis of the requirements for independent patient image access

Patients are being provided with increasing access to their medical data through mechanisms such as patient portals and the Summary Care Record. This reflects a growing expectation from patients that this data will be available to them. There are also further drivers for increasing this access to their images, including a focus on patient-centric care that has garnered support from political organisations as evidenced by the ‘any qualified provider’ agenda embedded in the Health and Social Care Act 2012.

This article considers the requirements for sharing patients’ images with them in such as way as to maximise these benefits and mitigate the concomitant risks. It describes the results of primary research conducted with patients and clinical imaging experts in order to elicit their perspectives on this subject.

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