As personal health records (PHRs) become more common, it is important that they conform to standards. Insurers, physicians and patients can use PHRs to ensure medical information is current and that care management activities are timely (e.g., care alerts for preventive services). Patients can use their PHR to verify accuracy of information as well as to enter their social history and advance directives information.
If PHRs are standards-based, they could be easily updated straight from the doctors’ electronic health record system. Benefits would include, but not be limited to:
- Safer, more effective emergency care
- Increased efficiency and quality of care when coordinating the activities of several practitioners
- Ability to coordinate care in a real-time manner
- A reduction in unnecessary duplication of diagnostic tests and/or procedures
- An increase in efficiency among insurers when populating their own member-related databases.
None of these benefits can be realized without standards for the keeping and updating of PHRs because standards greatly lower existing barriers to sharing information. The AAFP has sent the following letters, in conjunction with many other medical associations, to advocate for standards-based PHRs.
