Personal health record

A Personal health record (PHR) is a health record where health data and information related to the care of a patient is maintained by the patient. This stands in contrast to the more widely used Electronic health record, which is operated by institutions (such as hospitals) and contains data entered by clinicians (such as billing data) to support insurance claims. The intention of a PHR is to provide a complete and accurate summary of an individual's medical history which is accessible online. The health data on a PHR might include patient-reported outcome data, lab results, and data from devices such as wireless electronic weighing scales.

History

The concept of a PHR has been in existence for many years, but it was not until the advent of the Internet and the digitization of health records that it became a practical reality. In the past, patients often kept their own health records in the form of paper documents, but with the move towards electronic health records (EHRs) by doctors and hospitals, the concept of a PHR has evolved to mean an electronic application used by patients that contains health records.

Types of PHRs

There are two main types of PHRs: standalone and tethered. Standalone PHRs allow patients to fill in information from their own records, and the information is stored on patients' computers or the Internet. In tethered PHRs, a patient can access information pulled from the EHRs of healthcare providers.

Benefits

PHRs offer several potential benefits to patients and healthcare providers, including improved patient engagement, better coordination of care, and potential healthcare cost savings. However, these benefits are not yet fully realized due to a variety of barriers, including data privacy and security concerns, lack of interoperability, and the need for more research to demonstrate the benefits of PHRs.

Challenges

Despite the potential benefits, there are several challenges to widespread adoption of PHRs. These include technical challenges, such as the lack of interoperability between different EHR systems, and social challenges, such as privacy concerns and the digital divide.

See also

• Electronic health record
• Health informatics
• Medical privacy