Angelika Recently, I had a routine check-up with my gynecologist and was quite surprised when I could read her notes from our conversation online on the patient portal afterwards. At first, I thought she might have pressed the wrong button, because normally I didn't have access to these notes. Usually, I can only view prescriptions, lab reports, etc. through the portal, or contact my doctor via email or make appointments.

I didn't think much about it and forgot the whole thing until a few weeks ago when I was at the eye doctor, who then sent me a link so I could register on his very own patient portal to view his notes about my visit. Hmm, I thought to myself, this must be a new law and asked around about it. And indeed, the new so-called "21st Century Cures Act," passed in 2018, contains a provision that prohibits doctors from withholding electronically recorded notes from the patient.

Since nowadays almost every doctor types their conversation notes directly into a computer or tablet, these notes must now also be made available to the patient since April of this year. I find this commendable because, after all, it concerns the patient. I wonder how many doctors are now more mindful of their choice of words. There are already suggestions on the internet on how to phrase certain things more neutrally rather than judgmentally. A common expression among medical professionals, according to relevant forums, is "Poor Historian" when a patient cannot remember details about their health. The alternative suggestion is: "Cannot recall." Although "Poor Historian" is much funnier.

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• More topics you might be interested in:

  	Corona Winter
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  	School Board Recall
  	Walgreens
  	Komoot, the hiking and cycling app
  	Top Product: Pizza Steel