The interaction between healthcare providers and their patients may change considerably as a result of the ongoing development of healthcare technology. Perspectives on personal health data were examined in a study by the Indiana University School of Medicine, Regenstrief Institute, and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
Because they are utilized by the patient rather than the practitioner, personal health records are distinct from electronic health records. They enable the patient to view test results, prescription information, and other medical data, sometimes referred to as patient portals.
The research team asked Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center employees, patients, and caregivers what they felt about personal health records and how they might be utilized.
“During the interviews, patients expressed the potential for personal health records to deepen their relationship with their provider and to allow them to be more understood. Physicians were interested in having more clinical information sharing to facilitate better care,” said study author David Haggstrom, M.D., MAS, director of the Regenstrief Institute Center for Health Services Research, core investigator at the VA Health Services Research and Development (HSR&D) Center for Health Information and Communication (CHIC) and associate professor of medicine at IU School of Medicine. “These different visions of the value of these records show the need for discussions between physicians and patients to set expectations about the uses of PHRs.”
Patient portals have already created an additional strain on the medical staff, and patients are sensitive to that. Careful thought needs to be given to how health systems and teams deploy PHRs to still provide patient-centered care.
Dr. David Haggstrom
Both doctors and patients raised concerns about workflow.
“Patient portals have already created an additional strain on the medical staff, and patients are sensitive to that. Careful thought needs to be given to how health systems and teams deploy PHRs to still provide patient-centered care,” said Dr. Haggstrom.
The next steps for personal health records include expanding their use, customizing them for particular illnesses, and improving their usability.
A five-year clinical experiment that Dr. Haggstrom is overseeing makes use of a personal health record designed especially for cancer patients. The study team will examine both the influence on the patient-provider relationship and the quality of care.
In addition to Dr. Haggstrom, Thomas Carr, M.D. of VA CHIC is an author. The study was supported in part by VA HSR&D CDA 07-016, the VA Advanced Medical Informatics Fellowship Program, and the Livestrong Foundation.
