A Personal Health Record (PHR) is a collection of an individual’s medical documentation and health information that the patient maintains and controls throughout their lifetime. This record is distinct from the Electronic Health Record (EHR), which is the legal record created and maintained by healthcare providers like hospitals and physician offices. The fundamental difference is one of ownership and control, establishing the patient as the primary party responsible for the PHR’s maintenance. While healthcare systems and providers contribute information, the ultimate duty of collecting, organizing, and managing the PHR rests with the individual patient.
Defining the Personal Health Record
The Personal Health Record is designed to be a comprehensive and dynamic summary of one’s medical history, managed entirely by the patient. Its purpose is to provide a single, accessible source of information to help individuals manage their health and make informed decisions, especially when consulting multiple providers who may not share the same system. The scope of a PHR is broad, encompassing not only clinical data but also self-reported information that would not typically be in a provider’s EHR.
A typical PHR contains data such as immunization records, a history of illnesses and surgeries, known allergies, and current medications, including over-the-counter drugs and supplements. It also frequently includes patient-generated data like home blood pressure readings, blood glucose logs, exercise habits, and symptom tracking. The patient controls who can access the record, making the PHR a highly private and secure tool for health management.
The Individual’s Role in Maintenance
The individual is the main architect and active manager of the Personal Health Record. This role begins with the deliberate collection of health data from various sources, including requesting copies of records from physicians and laboratories. The patient is responsible for inputting self-reported information, such as tracking symptoms, noting changes in diet, or logging the use of non-prescription treatments. This patient-generated data is crucial for providing a complete picture of health status between clinical visits.
Maintenance involves verification and organization to ensure the record remains accurate and useful. Patients must compare the information provided by their doctors, often through a patient portal, against their own records and correct any discrepancies. They must also choose a storage method, whether a secure electronic platform or an organized paper file, and ensure that all documents are properly categorized and up-to-date. Granting and revoking access permissions to family members or caregivers is another management duty that falls solely to the individual.
The Role of Healthcare Providers
Healthcare providers have a distinct and separate legal duty to maintain their own Electronic Health Records (EHRs), which are the official documents of care. Their responsibility concerning the patient’s Personal Health Record is primarily to facilitate the transfer of data into the patient’s control. This is often accomplished through patient portals, which are tethered to the provider’s EHR system and allow the patient to view, download, and sometimes directly upload information.
Privacy regulations, such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) in the United States, mandate that providers must give patients access to their health information. This legal requirement ensures that the patient has the necessary clinical data—like lab results, diagnoses, and discharge summaries—to populate and update their PHR. While providers upload the clinical data, they are not responsible for the ongoing accuracy or organization of the patient’s personal record.
Responsibility for Dependents
The responsibility for maintaining a Personal Health Record for an individual who cannot manage their own care transfers to an authorized proxy. This typically applies to minors, elderly parents, or adults who are legally incapacitated. For a child, the parent or legal guardian acts as the authorized representative, having full access and management control over the minor’s health information. This authority allows them to collect, organize, and share the child’s records with providers.
When a minor reaches a certain age, often 14 or 18 depending on local laws, the control of the PHR generally transfers directly to the young adult. In cases of adult incapacity, the management duty falls to a legally designated individual, such as a person holding a healthcare power of attorney. This proxy relationship ensures continuous record management, but the transfer of access is governed by privacy rules to protect the patient’s autonomy and confidentiality.