Government Overview of Personal Health Records

In 2004, President Bush announced that all citizens would have access to electronic medical records in 10 years. The potential of health information technology to improve people's health and the functioning of the health care system is enormous. To this end, there is increasing interest in the consumer's role in his or her own health care and health care management. The Personal Health Record (PHR) is an adjunct tool related to the provider based electronic medical record. In its ideal form, it would be a lifelong resource of health information used by individuals to make health care decisions, and to enable them to share information with their providers. While a uniform, standard definition does not yet exist of a PHR, consistent applications for PHRs are beginning to emerge.