The Patient-Centered Electronic Health Record and Patient Portals

Personal health records (PHR), particularly the patient portal, are touted as instrumental to the future of medical care and health management. The patient portal could be a powerful means to engage patients and empower them to manage their own health. Studies show that patients are interested in patient portals, specifically in the self-management and administrative aspects. However, some studies also show little evidence to support claims of improvement in health outcomes, cost measures, or health care utilization. This chapter presents an overview of personal health records and patient portals, beginning with the evolution of these technologies. We next cover the data and functionality components of personal health records and patient portals. Then, we discuss the context in which personal health records and patient portals are situated, including political forces, Meaningful Use, user access and usability, and data issues. Finally, throughout the chapter we consider future directions for personal health records and patient portals.