All individuals should be able to readily access, understand, and use their personal health information. Your health information is scattered across many different providers and facilities. Keeping your own complete, updated, and easily accessible health record means you can play a more active role in your healthcare. You wouldn’t write checks without keeping a check register. The same level of responsibility makes sense for your healthcare.

Your own personal health record (PHR) offers a different perspective, showing all your health-related information. It can include any information that you think affects your health, including information that your doctor may not have, such as your exercise routines, dietary habits, or glucose levels if you are diabetic.

In a medical emergency, quick access to your health information is vital so that you can receive the best possible care. If you are in an accident, the Emergency Responder needs three things: quick access to your medical information, the delivery of that information by trained professionals, and accurate, up-to-date information. Most people think that an emergency room can obtain their medical information, but almost none can.

Also, the PHR is a critical tool that enables you to partner with your providers. It can reduce or eliminate duplicate procedures or processes, which saves healthcare dollars, your time, and the provider’s time.

And the PHR empowers you, the patient. The information you gather gives you knowledge that assists your preparation for appointments. Overall, it gives you more intimate knowledge of your health information, including an active role in preventive care and care management. This way, you are more involved in your own care.

The American Health Information Management Association demonstrated its advocacy for the empowerment of individuals to manage their healthcare by issuing a joint Position Statement for Consumers of Health Care on the Value of Personal Health Records with the American Medical Informatics Association in February 2007.