A pilot Personal Health Record (PHR) program will be rolled out next year in Arizona and Utah for Medicare patients. Personal Health Records belong to the patient and are distinct from the records maintained by physicians. The program will begin in January 2009. A further announcement in late October 2008 will identify participating vendors who will offer competing PHR systems that patients can choose from.
What Medical Data Will be in Personal Health Records?
- The only thing we can be sure of at this time is that CMS will upload up to 2 years of Medicare claim data.
- Patients will be able to add supplemental information and authorize access to third parties such as family members.
- It remains to be seen what other information will be integrated, such as prescription drug claims.
What has not yet been announced is how physicians and other providers will be given access to this data, and how, in an emergency, they will know which of multiple systems has the patient’s records, or whether a patient is participating in any of the PHR systems.
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This story has been featured in the <a href=”http://brainblogger.com/2008/08/27/drugs-and-pharmacology-tenth-edition/” rel=”nofollow”>10th edition</a> of Drugs and Pharmacology.
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