21st Century Cures Act

With the Cures Act, health information will be more readily available to the patients in their MyChart account. In some instances, patients could receive results even before providers and staff. It is important to us that our patients trust their care team and feel comfortable asking questions if they do not understand a note in their medical record.

Inova patients already have access to personal health information in their Inova MyChart patient portal, including lab reports and tests results, but the Cures Act allows for even greater access to their records.

After April 5, 2021, there will be eight types of clinical notes that must be shared:

• Consultation notes
• Discharge summary notes
• History & physician notes
• Imaging notes
• Laboratory notes
• Pathology report notes
• Procedure notes
• Progress notes

Please note that you will have immediate access to laboratory results, pathology and radiology results. This may mean that you see the results before members of your care team have had a chance to review them. Trust that your Inova care team has a treatment plan to address any concerns that may arise from your testing.

• Have a better understanding of your health and medical conditions
• Feel more in control of your health
• Have more information to take better care of yourself
• Feel comfortable sharing notes with your care team

• Read the note after the visit to remind you what was discussed and to review the treatment plan, including changes in your medication, testing, appointments, or any referrals needed.
• Review the note between visits to make sure you’re on track with recommended follow up.
• Read the note before your next visit to help you prepare questions for your provider and care team.

Providers are encouraged to minimize confusing medical terminology and abbreviations and be transparent in their notes. If you have a question about a note or an unfamiliar term, contact your care team to discuss.

Common Medical Abbreviations

Open Notes is the term for progress notes and other medical record annotations that are available to patients. The note includes information that you shared during the visit as well as your provider’s thoughts about your diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up steps. Sharing these notes gives you as the patient the opportunity to review the details of your visit as often as you need to.

Are you getting too many notices from MyChart, or not enough? To update your notification preferences, follow these steps:

1. Login to MyChart
2. Select "Menu" (top left of the page)
3. Select "Account Settings"
4. Select "Communication Preferences" and adjust by selecting or deselecting items

Control how you want to share your information in MyChart with friends or family who have permission to access your account. Log into MyChart and follow these steps:

1. Select “Menu” (top left of the page)
2. Select “Share My Record”
3. Select “Friends and Family Access”

You will be able to find your notes in Inova MyChart as soon as they are completed by your provider. 

Proxy access allows parents, legal guardians or caregivers to access a patient’s health information on the patient portal.

Patient parents/guardians can request full proxy access for a child between the ages of 0-13 years old. Parents/Guardians of patients 14-17 will have limited access to the patient's MyChart account. Patients can give family members or friends proxy access by completing the proxy access form. These forms are available on the Inova MyChart FAQ webpage under "MyChart for My Family and Legal Guardians."

When the form is filled out, the patient must return it to the clinic or hospital, and the completed form should be scanned into their electronic medical record. Both the patient and proxy must have an active MyChart account.

All patients have a right to request their full medical record. To receive a copy of your medical record, follow the instructions on our website:

Medical Records Request

Please contact your provider via MyChart if you see an error.