Frequently Asked Questions
What are "PHRs"?
Personal health records ("PHRs") store your health information for you securely online.
How will having a PHR help me?
PHRs are especially useful for people whose health requires ongoing care. They:
- Save you from having to recall your medical history when you go to your doctor's office. You can print out your PHR at home and have everything you need to complete the clipboard form and discuss your care with your doctor.
- Keep all of your medical information at your fingertips day and night and ensure important information is handy when there is an emergency.
- Help you stay on top of appointments and prescriptions.
- Give you a place to track things like tests results, blood pressure readings, glucose, or peak flow levels - and you'll be more likely to take the recommended actions as things change.
- Provide a list of medications so you don't need to try to remember them all.
- Make it easier for you to provide information to people who help you get the care you need such as social workers, case managers, and your family.
- Make it possible for you to help your family members keep on top of their health, too.
What kind of information is in PHRs?
PHRs include your past and current medical conditions, medications you take, the doctors you visit, the procedures and tests you've had, and recent laboratory work.
How is information added to PHRs?
Your health insurance company provides PHRs as a service and adds new information as it becomes available. They use information they already have – the insurance claims your doctors and pharmacists file with them – to build and add to your PHR. In some cases, your information comes directly from your doctor’s electronic medical record.
If you choose, you can also add information to your PHR to keep track of information your insurer doesn’t have, such as over the counter medications, emergency contacts, etc.
Is the information secure?
- You decide what information is shared with your family and your doctors. You decide if you want to transfer your information to a new health insurer. You even decide whether or not to use your PHR at all.
- While no information is 100% secure, Federal law requires health insurers to have systems and procedures in place to protect the privacy and security of your information. There are penalties for using information in the wrong way.
- Insurers upgrade their systems on an ongoing basis. The health insurance plan community has invested millions in systems to secure your information.
How do I know if my health plan offers an electronic personal health record?
While many of health insurers offer these tools, not all do. Visit your health insurer’s web site learn more. The web address is often listed on your insurance card.
Will my electronic personal health record look like this?
Similar to other websites, not all electronic personal health records will look the same and have the same features. The samples provided here are examples of how they can look.
How is a personal health record different from a doctor's record?
A personal health record contains one person’s health information in easy to understand terms. Doctor’s often have a more complex computer systems; allowing them to store patient medical information, keep visit notes, order laboratory tests, write prescriptions, and make referrals.
