Embracing a health services research perspective on personal health records: lessons learned from the VA My HealtheVet system.
BACKGROUND
Personal health records (PHRs) are designed to help people manage information about their health. Over the past decade, there has been a proliferation of PHRs, but research regarding their effects on clinical, behavioral, and financial outcomes remains limited. The potential for PHRs to facilitate patient-centered care and health system transformation underscores the importance of embracing a broader perspective on PHR research.


OBJECTIVE
Drawing from the experiences of VA staff to evaluate the My HealtheVet (MHV) PHR, this article advocates for a health services research perspective on the study of PHR systems.


METHODS
We describe an organizing framework and research agenda, and offer insights that have emerged from our ongoing efforts regarding the design of PHR-related studies, the need to address PHR data ownership and consent, and the promotion of effective PHR research collaborations.


CONCLUSIONS
These lessons are applicable to other PHR systems and the conduct of PHR research across different organizational contexts.
Nazi
Kim M
KM
Veterans and Consumers Health Informatics Office, Office of Health Information, Veterans Health Administration, US Department of Veterans Affairs, Washington, DC, USA. kim.nazi@va.gov
Hogan
Timothy P
TP
Wagner
Todd H
TH
McInnes
D Keith
DK
Smith
Bridget M
BM
Haggstrom
David
D
Chumbler
Neale R
NR
Gifford
Allen L
AL
Charters
Kathleen G
KG
Saleem
Jason J
JJ
Weingardt
Kenneth R
KR
Fischetti
Linda F
LF
Weaver
Frances M
FM
D035843:Biomedical Research / Q000379:methods / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D055991:Health Records, Personal; D006801:Humans; D016347:Medical Records Systems, Computerized / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards; D014481:United States; D014493:United States Department of Veterans Affairs / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D014728:Veterans