Patients can use personal health records (PHRs) to communicate with physicians, enter their health data, and access information. In the United States, uptake of this technology is modest but increasing due to employer interest, health care reform, and the market entry of Google and Microsoft. In a new study, 2007–08 Commonwealth Fund Harkness Fellow Shane R. Reti and colleagues interviewed seven early adopters of PHRs, representing hospitals, ambulatory care facilities, insurers and health plans, government departments, and the commercial sectors. The authors suggest ways in which PHRs could be improved to support patient-centered care.
