Transfer of information from personal health records: a survey of veterans using My HealtheVet.
OBJECTIVE
Personal health records provide patients with ownership of their health information and allow them to share information with multiple healthcare providers. However, the usefulness of these records relies on patients understanding and using their records appropriately. My HealtheVet is a Web-based patient portal containing a personal health record administered by the Veterans Health Administration. The goal of this study was to explore veterans' interest and use of My HealtheVet to transfer and share information as well as to identify opportunities to increase veteran use of the My HealtheVet functions.


METHODS
Two waves of data were collected in 2010 through an American Customer Satisfaction Index Web-based survey. A random sample of veterans using My HealtheVet was invited to participate in the survey conducted on the My HealtheVet portal through a Web-based pop-up browser window.


RESULTS
Wave One results (n=25,898) found that 41% of veterans reported printing information, 21% reported saving information electronically, and only 4% ever sent information from My HealtheVet to another person. In Wave Two (n=18,471), 30% reported self-entering medication information, with 18% sharing this information with their Veterans Affairs (VA) provider and 9.6% sharing with their non-VA provider.


CONCLUSIONS
Although veterans are transferring important medical information from their personal health records, increased education and awareness are needed to increase use. Personal health records have the potential to improve continuity of care. However, more research is needed on both the barriers to adoption as well as the actual impact on patient health outcomes and well-being.
Center for Comprehensive Access & Delivery Research and Evaluation (CADRE), Iowa City VA Health Care System, Iowa City, Iowa 42286, USA. carolyn-turvey@va.gov
Carolyn L
CL
Turvey
Donna M
DM
Zulman
Kim M
KM
Nazi
Bonnie J
BJ
Wakefield
Susan S
SS
Woods
Timothy P
TP
Hogan
Frances M
FM
Weaver
Keith
K
McInnes
D022126:Access to Information; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003266:Continuity of Patient Care; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D008499:Medical Records / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D057566:Self Report; D014481:United States; D014728:Veterans / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult