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PHR Essay

536 Words3 Pages

At its core, a personal health record (PHR) is an electronic tool that is intended to allow consumers to store, manage, use, and share their personal health information. Various PHR products allow individuals to connect to health-related services, such as pharmacies and health care providers. A large survey released in April 2010 by the California Health Care Foundation found that 1 in 14
Americans have an electronic PHR.1 Numerous factors have likely limited the growth of PHRs, including consumer privacy concerns and the challenge for PHR vendors in settling on a sustainable business model.2 Consistent, comprehensive privacy and security safeguards for PHRs can address both problems by providing greater consumer …show more content…

Although the bulk of the incentive funds under ARRA are directed toward the adoption by health care providers of electronic health records (EHRs), the criteria for accessing this funding includes electronically sharing data with patients, which could pave the way for an expansion in PHR use. Implementation of health reform could also lead to an increased focus on “engaged consumers” who have tools at their disposal to monitor and manage chronic conditions, understand treatment choices, access personalized health advice, support lifestyle changes, evaluate insurance options, share data with other parties to gain insight and expertise, and hold the health care system to a higher standard of accountability. Effective
PHRs can support all of these consumer behaviors. Yet consumers and industry alike face another important .
Although the ARRA definition is a good starting point, additional clarity about what is considered a PHR would aid policy development. A PHR is not

necessarily a single entity, but rather a suite of tools that can enable

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