Improving patient engagement in mental health: Exploring the potential of pre-visit notes in Canadian care settings

OurNotes is a movement that advocates for patient engagement by encouraging patients to contribute to their care through a pre-visit note, where they can comment on their health progress and prioritize topics for discussion with their clinicians. To date, pre-visit notes have been implemented in primary and acute care settings internationally, and their reception has generally been positive. However, their use in Canada and in mental health settings is limited. To address this gap, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 26 mental health clinicians, patients, and care partners. Barriers, facilitators, and recommendations to implementing pre-visit notes in Canadian mental health settings were identified. Overall, clinicians, patients, and care partners had positive perceptions towards pre-visit notes, indicating that they may serve as an innovative model for improving patient engagement and satisfaction in mental health settings. The barriers and facilitators identified, provide guidance for mental health organizations considering the implementation of pre-visit notes.