1.  Early experiences with personal health records

Author(s): Halamka JD, Mandl KD, Tang PC

Source: J Am Med Inform Assoc 2008 Jan-Feb;15(1):1-7.

Summary: Over the past year, several payers, employers, and commercial vendors have announced personal health record projects. Few of these are widely deployed and few are fully integrated into ambulatory or hospital-based electronic record systems. The earliest adopters of personal health records have many lessons learned that can inform these new initiatives. We present three case studies--MyChart at Palo Alto Medical Foundation, PatientSite at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, and Indivo at Children's Hospital Boston. We describe our implementation challenges from 1999 to 2007 and postulate the evolving challenges we will face over the next five years.

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2.  Personal health records

Author(s): Kimmel Z, Greenes RA, Liederman E

Source: J Med Pract Manage 2005 Nov-Dec;21(3):147-52.

Summary: Nationwide, momentum is growing to provide patients with computer tools called personal health records (PHRs). These allow patients to participate in their own healthcare management by viewing, editing, or discussing their own medical data. Historically, PHRs targeted consumers, but contemporary PHRs are increasingly aimed at providers and payers. This article reviews the types of PHRs that are currently available, discusses the PHR functionalities that offer the best value for a medical practice, and provides strategies for making purchasing decisions.

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3.  Personal health records: definitions, benefits, and strategies for overcoming barriers to adoption

Author(s): Tang PC, Ash JS, Bates DW, Overhage JM, Sands DZ

Source: J Am Med Inform Assoc 2006 Mar-Apr;13(2):121-6.

Summary: Recently there has been a remarkable upsurge in activity surrounding the adoption of personal health record (PHR) systems for patients and consumers. The biomedical literature does not yet adequately describe the potential capabilities and utility of PHR systems. In addition, the lack of a proven business case for widespread deployment hinders PHR adoption. In a 2005 working symposium, the American Medical Informatics Association's College of Medical Informatics discussed the issues surrounding personal health record systems and developed recommendations for PHR-promoting activities. Personal health record systems are more than just static repositories for patient data; they combine data, knowledge, and software tools, which help patients to become active participants in their own care. When PHRs are integrated with electronic health record systems, they provide greater benefits than would stand-alone systems for consumers. This paper summarizes the College Symposium discussions on PHR systems and provides definitions, system characteristics, technical architectures, benefits, barriers to adoption, and strategies for increasing adoption.

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4.  Personal health records: empowering consumers

Author(s): Ball MJ, Smith C, Bakalar RS

Source: J Healthc Inf Manag 2007 Winter;21(1):76-86.

Summary: By empowering consumers, electronic personal health records (ePHRs, more commonly PHRs) will play a key role in the evolving electronically enabled health information environment. Consumers want to be more engaged in their own healthcare and are seeking out information online. Despite intense concerns about confidentiality and security, they have high expectations for electronic health information. The growth of patient self-management tools for remote monitoring will fuel PHR adoption, if tools and standards are developed that make clinical information understandable to and usable by consumers. The value of the PHR will lie in shared information and shared decision-making, as its components support the continuity of care. Efforts in other countries can provide guidance in helping Americans do what they do best-develop and use innovative technology to serve the American people.