Using Personal Health Records to Improve the Quality of Health Care for Children

Abstract

A personal health record (PHR) is a repository of information from multiple contributors (eg, patient, family, guardians, physicians, and other health care professionals) regarding the health of an individual. The development of electronic PHRs presents new opportunities and challenges to the practice of pediatrics. This policy statement provides recommendations for actions that pediatricians can take to support the development and use of PHRs for children. Pediatric health care professionals must become actively involved in developing and adopting PHRs and PHR systems. The American Academy of Pediatrics supports development of: educational programs for families and clinicians on effective and efficient use of PHRs;incentives to facilitate PHR use and maintenance; andchild- and adolescent-friendly standards for PHR content, portability, security, and privacy. Properly designed PHR systems for pediatric care can empower patients. PHRs can improve access to health information, improve coordination of preventive health and health maintenance activities, and support emergency and disaster management activities. PHRs provide support for the medical home for all children, including those with special health care needs and those in foster care. PHRs can also provide information to serve as the basis for pediatric quality improvement efforts. For PHRs to be adopted sufficiently to realize these benefits, we must determine how best to support their development and adoption. Privacy and security issues, especially with regard to children and adolescents, must be addressed.

Modeling the adoption of personal health record (PHR) among individual: the effect of health-care technology self-efficacy and gender concern

“…According to Zurita & Nohr [5], patients are willing to gain more control over their personal health information. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) promotes scholastic programs for families and physicians to encourage the effective and systematic use of the personal version of electronic health records (EHR), known as personal health record (PHR) to improve the quality of health care for children [6]. Thus, it is understandable that issues regarding PHR increasingly receiving attention over the last few years.…”

Factors influencing consumer adoption of USB-based Personal Health Records in Taiwan

“…Similarly, many countries are focusing on data interoperability, access, and patient's authorization [5]. The American Academy of Pediatrics supports development of educational programs for families and clinicians to promote effective and efficient use of the personal version of Electronic Health Records, called Personal Health Records (PHRs) as a way of improving the quality of healthcare for children [6]. For such reasons, Personal Health Records are gradually gaining grounds to the extent that companies like Microsoft have ventured into the world of Personal Health Records and it may be apt to expect PHRs getting integrated into clinical practice gradually.…”

Home-based record prevalence among children aged 12–23 months from 180 demographic and health surveys

“…Many home-based records do not facilitate health worker workflow, and in fact may unnecessarily complicate recording processes [10]. Complex home-based records that include excess information that will never be used not only wastes time that could otherwise be spent listening and providing health education to the caregiver but also may impact the quality of recorded information.…”