The Disadvantages of Personal Health Records

Personal health records (PHR) are a tool for tracking and storing past and current health information for yourself or someone in your care. Combining all health information in one place helps give doctors a full and accurate picture, to avoid medical mistakes; information in a PHR includes such things as lab reports, medical history, diagnoses, medications, and progress notes. There are some disadvantages to maintaining your own records, including security, privacy, accuracy and cost.

Accuracy

• It's important to make sure all the information in your PHR is accurate. When entering information into your record, make sure you're interpreting it correctly. If unsure, contact the doctor and ask questions. It's also imperative to check and update your information on a regular basis to avoid errors that could have detrimental effects.

Privacy

• If using a PHR vendor website, make sure you're clear about how it handles your information. The company should have some sort of privacy policy in place to protect your information from unauthorized users. It's also essential to find out what happens to your records in the event the company goes out of business. You control how your information is used, accessed and disclosed; make sure to limit access whenever possible.

Security

• The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) has laws in place to protect electronic health records (EHR) maintained by doctors, clinics or hospitals. Personal health records are not considered legal, so there are no laws protecting your documents from misuse. Check with your providers as to how your information will be used and who has access to it. Make sure to change your passwords frequently to avoid unauthorized use of your information.

Costs

• There may be a monthly fee to store your personal health records with an online vendor and costs associated with having records copied and mailed by your doctor or hospital. Check ahead of time to find out what fees are incurred. You can cut costs by picking up your records from the healthcare facility and maintaining them in a less formal format such as on a USB flash drive.

Obtaining Records

• Every medical facility has a process for releasing information, which can take time. Large hospitals, for example, can take much longer to send out information than a small doctor's office. It's important to follow up with medical offices to find out what information will be released and how long it will take to get the records.