1. As consumers become active partners in their health care, there is recognition of the need to maintain an up-to-date record of essential personal health information.2. Personal health records are more than locations to store health information; they offer a number of tools to help individuals manage health and wellness. For example, individuals can send e-mail messages to providers, receive and review test results, renew prescriptions, and track insurance claims.3. Personal health records can be grouped into four categories:
A computer-based stand-alone personal health record does not share information with other health information systems. It offers the most security, since there is no electronic exchange of data.
An Internet-based tethered personal health record is aligned with a single outside organization and allows individuals to view information in that organization's system.
Internet-based untethered records are not limited to records stored on a single external website. Consumers are responsible for keeping the records up-to-date.
Networked personal health records are able to send and receive data from other health information systems, such as the provider's electronic health record and a pharmacy information system. Some information is entered by the patient, and some is received electronically from these external systems.
4. Networked personal health records have a number of advantages over the other types. Information is continually updated, and relevant portions of information are sent to and from a provider's electronic health record system. When a patient fills a new prescription at a pharmacy, the new medication is automatically added to the medication list in the patient's personal health record. Laboratory test results and updates on the status of insurance claims are also available. Most importantly, the patient is in control of the flow of information, deciding when to grant access to others.5. The three major barriers to the implementation of personal
health records are:
Lack of interoperability: At present, it is difficult to exchange data with other health information systems due to the lack of common standards.
Lack of consumer awareness: Most people are not aware that computerized personal health records exist. If personal health records are going to be in widespread use, consumers need to be educated about what they are and the benefits they offer.
Privacy and security concerns: The biggest barrier to implementation is the security and confidentiality of the data. Until consumers feel confident that their online health information is safe and secure, they are unlikely to want personal health records that exchange data over the Internet.
