Definition
The term “personal health record” is not new. The earliest mention of the term was in an article indexed by PubMed dated June 1978, and even earlier in 1956 reference is made to a personal health log. However, most scientific articles written about PHRs have been published since 2000.
The term "PHR" has been applied to both paper-based and computerized systems; current usage usually implies an electronic application used to collect and store health data. In recent years, several formal definitions of the term have been proposed by various organizations.
It is important to note that PHRs are not the same as electronic health records (EHRs). The latter are software systems designed for use by health care providers. Like the data recorded in paper-based medical records, the data in EHRs are legally mandated notes on the care provided by clinicians to patients. There is no legal mandate that compels a consumer or patient to store her personal health information in a PHR.
PHRs can contain a diverse range of data, including but not limited to:
- allergies and adverse drug reactions
- chronic diseases
- family history
- illnesses and hospitalizations
- imaging reports (e.g. X-ray)
- laboratory test results
- medications and dosing
- prescription record
- surgeries and other procedures
- vaccinations
- and Observations of Daily Living (ODLs)
There are two methods by which data can arrive in a PHR. A patient may enter it directly, either by typing into fields or uploading/transmitting data from a file or another website. The second is when the PHR is tethered to an electronic health record, which automatically updates the PHR. Not all PHRs have the same capabilities, and individual PHRs may support one or all of these methods.
In addition to storing an individual's personal health information, some PHRs provide added-value services such as drug-drug interaction checking, electronic messaging between patients and providers, managing appointments, and reminders.
Read more about this topic: Personal Health Record
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