The Pros And Cons Of Setting Up A Personal Health Records

Nurses are on the front lines of client education. The role of the nurse ranges from providing the use of printed materials to website that is interactive for the clients’ use. Many physician offices have a patient portal that allows the client to access their information regarding appointments, medical tests, laboratory reports and even updated billing information. The nurse should inform that client of the technology available and make sure that the client knows how to set up accounts to be able to view this information at their location of choice. The internet is a vast source of knowledge and resources, the use of this information is confidential so the client will be able to educate themselves and be ready to discuss sensitive information with their providers. Our textbook states, “knowledge in a profession is a multifaceted approach of individual perceptions, challenges, and collective thought applied to the practice of nursing. As nurses, we challenge what is known, and what we want to acquire, process, and disseminate knowledge.” (McGonigle & Mastrian, 2015, p. 427).

One of the main challenges that providers tend to be concerned with is the high cost of setting this system up. The process will take both time and money. Health care providers might be concerned that they will never get paid back for the computer programs and the manpower that this will take. There seems to be a lack of general knowledge for the clients and unsure how this change will benefit them. This is an area where the nurse can make sure to educate their clients that, “Privacy, security and confidentiality are also key areas of concern for consumers. Uncertainties surrounding the HIPAA privacy rule and its application to PHRs might make consumers less receptive towards adopting a PHR system“ (Kim & Naham,