Question

Develop and create an educational tool (brochure, flyer pamphlet) for providers to understand the PHR that address the following areas:

How can we make sure PHR information is accurate, reliable, and complete? What obstacles might patients have with control over how their health information is accessed, used, and disclosed? Frequently Asked Questions What advantages and disadvantages are there? What does the clinician need to understand?

Answer 1

Answer: 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.

Important points to know about a Personal Health Record:

1. You should always have access to your complete health information.
2. Information in your PHR should be accurate, reliable, and complete.
3. You should have control over how your health information is accessed, used, and disclosed.
4. A PHR may be separate from and does not normally replace the legal medical record of any provider.

* Advantages of PHR are as follows:

1. PHRs provide users (patients) with in depth knowledge of their personal health conditions. This further results in them taking interest to improve their own health conditions.
2. Communication between patients and physicians are easier and more effective with PHRs. This communication will also help patients to share their medical records effectively with multiple physicians.
3. Patients engagement in the care process through PHRs give them an opportunity to be part of their health decisions as well.

There are some disadvantages also:

1. Accessibility to PHRs is a concern for many users. Research is being carried to identify improvements in health outcomes with access to PHRs.
2. Data quality within PHRs is questionable as standards followed are not clear. Few PHRs have been suspects of hosting wrong information as well.
3. Security and privacy rules that are to be followed with regard to patient’s information is not concrete within PHRs.