August 18, 2009

The Integrated Personal Health Record and the Involved Consumer

American healthcare is evolving and individual consumers are realizing they must take on more responsibility for driving fundamental change. They are being spurred by a greater financial stake in the outcome of their healthcare choices. And they are supported by technology advances that give them access to and control over their own health information. But information is not enough. In this brief, the role of the PHR in improving quality and lowering costs is discussed. Consumers need improved access to providers, the ability to choose care based on cost and quality, and resources that encourage them in wellness and prevention endeavors. This supports the objectives of key industry stakeholders to provide better continuity of care in order to improve quality and lower costs.

A consumer-controlled personal health record (PHR) can help achieve these objectives. Stakeholders such as providers, employers, and health plans have a vested interest in helping consumers make better healthcare decisions. More importantly, they have access to rich data sources to help populate health records and have the opportunity to influence their population's behavior. But the model for the ideal PHR continues to shift. Different providers have emerged, each with its own delivery mechanism and functionality with one requirement: the PHR must also be portable, so consumers can access the information regardless of their employer, health plan, or provider, and can manage and update it.