Information Gap: Can Health Insurer Personal Health Records Meet Patients' and Physicians' Needs?

March/April 2009
Health Affairs, Vol. 28, No. 2
Joy M. Grossman, Teresa Zayas-Cabán, Nicole M. Kemper

Personal health records (PHRs), centralized places for people to electronically store and organize their health information, can benefit both patients and doctors. This qualitative study of health insurers’ PHRs for enrollees reveals potential benefits and challenges. Insurers’ ability to put claims-based data into the PHR offers an advantage. However, consumers are concerned about sharing personal health information with insurers and about Internet security. Physicians question (1) the validity of claims data in making treatment decisions and (2) whether accessing these PHRs is worth the disruptions to their workflow. This paper offers possible solutions that may lead to more widespread adoption of insurer PHRs.

Free access to this article is available at the Health Affairs Web site by clicking here. (Free access until March 10, 2010.)