Personal health record

A Personal Health Record or PHR is a document containing health information that is stored and maintained by the patient. In its purest form – it is a health record for an individual. An electronic PHR (software-based) enables the storing, management, and communication of the patient’s health information and typically includes features such as self-tracking and monitoring of health information and self-entry of information related to diagnoses, medications, laboratory tests, and immunizations. Most PHR software solutions offer the ability to receive and store information from a doctor's electronic medical record or other electronic data source. PHRs are available as stand-alone PC-based solutions, web-based solutions, or hybrids allowing Internet connectivity coupled with the ability to store on a PC as described below:

Paper Entry
You enter, update, and manage your health information on paper and store it in binders, folders, or filing cabinets.

Detached PHR - PC-based software
The software is installed on your home computer and you enter, update, and manage your health information which can then be stored or printed as necessary.

Ubiquitous PHR - Internet Portal with USB Drive
The software resides on the Internet and you access it using a username and password from any computer with Internet access. You can also store all of your information on the USB Drive so it is with you at all times. Participating providers populate your record through the USB port, and/or you can link to the Internet to send and receive information.