What is a Personal Health Record (PHR)?

September 20, 2009 by admin

A personal health record is generally understood to be a collection of information about an individual's health or health care services, such as hospitalizations, doctor visits, medications (prescriptions and over-the-counter drugs), allergies and other medical conditions that can be stored on the individual's behalf for as long as he or she chooses. There are many types of PHRs - some are on paper and some are electronic. Some are provided by health plans, employers or health care providers, while others are obtained by the individual from a PHR vendor. Some PHRs are pre-populated with certain information, while others require that the individual enter all of the information. PHR tools might allow the individual to look up information about their own medications and conditions and to manage their own health care by providing tips on diet and exercise. PHRs can also be used to track the health history of family members, including illnesses, surgeries, hospitalizations, lab tests, medications etc. The individual is in charge of his or her own PHR and controls who is able to see the information it contains.