Personal health records

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Personal Health Records
 

Consider the PHRs of today. Patient-accessible health records are currently web-based and have seen little consumer use when compared to the total U.S. population. The VA has had notable success with its veterans logging on; however, other web-based portals have struggled. Google Health, a free PHR site, shut its services down effective January of 2012 citing too few and inconsistent users to maintain the site.
 

PHRs can eliminate the plethora of patient charts and help to assimilate a lifetime of medical documentation. What do you think will motivate society to fully embrace these electronic resources?
 

  • Assess      the kind of information that you would put in your own personal health      record. What concerns (if any) would you have about the security of your      personal information in a personal health record?
  • Think      about your stance on the value of PHRs. Do you believe that every      individual should be required to maintain a PHR?

To prepare:

  • Reflect      on the information presented in the Learning Resources, focusing on      personal health records and patient portals as used by the VA.
  • Consider      your personal and professional experiences with personal health records      and patient portals.
  • What      benefits, concerns, and challenges do these types of systems bring to the      health care profession? How might they influence your professional practice      and your patient’s health outcomes?