I get into conversations quite frequently about this and it is amazing that I still walk into doctors offices, hospitals and chat with individuals and they imagehave never heard of a PHR, personal health record.  One time I was trying to explain what it was to staff members and the physician thought I was having general conversation, well, and he was a non participant in technology so somewhat of an expected response.  I mention these things as this is what happens in the real world outside of this blog and the internet, which exemplifies a real big need for training and information.

On my blog here I have an entire section of over 200 posts relative to PHRs and started it about 2 years ago, so there are many “how to’s” and hopefully some answers to questions you may have. 

Personal Health Records at the Medical Quack 

Now we have another resource that answers some general questions from the American Health Information Management Association. I can almost bet nobody in Congress has explored this as they still feel all the technology is “for those guys over there” from what I read, as they fail miserably on even being a small role model, but that doesn’t have to stop us from getting involved with our own healthcare.  You can read up on “MyPHR” for some additional information.  If you haven’t read up recently, these are going overseas too so again having a copy of at least what your current medications are and your allergies at minimum might just save your life.  The soon you become participant, the sooner you will see the value.

The Medical Quack: Interview with Curtis Schroeder, CEO Bumrungrad ...

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I did a quick search for the “free” ones and the screenshot above shows the format.  Personally I prefer HealthVault and Google Health for me as they have been around the longest and the data is not stored with any insurance carrier on their servers.  Again, this is a good page to read up and see what is out there.  You can always find links to HealthVault and Google Health on this blog, right hand side.  BD 

The PHR is a tool that you can use to collect, track and share past and current information about your health or the health of someone in your care. Sometimes this information can save you the money and inconvenience of repeating routine medical tests. Even when routine procedures do need to be repeated, your PHR can give medical care providers more insight into your personal health story.

Remember, you are ultimately responsible for making decisions about your health. A PHR can help you accomplish that.

A wide range of products are currently available to help you create your own personal health record (PHR). Take an active role in monitoring your health and healthcare by creating your own PHR. PHRs are an inevitable and critical step in the evolution of health information management (HIM). The book, “Personal Health Record” assists new users of PHRs in getting started, addressing current PHR trends and processes. You should consider some important questions about having your health information online before selecting a tool that’s right for you.

Please note that the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) does not sell or endorse any of the PHR products listed here. It is important to be aware that PHRs that are not part of a provider’s electronic health record are not considered to be legal records, and therefore, are not protected by the same privacy and security protections that covered entities are.

http://www.myphr.com/index.php/start_a_phr/choose_a_phr/

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