Personal health records and patient portals

Date Updated: 08/15/2024

If you're like most people, you have one or more health concerns. You may visit more than one healthcare professional. You may use more than one pharmacy. Keeping track of it all can be hard.

With a personal health record (PHR), you can gather and manage all those details in one place. You always know where the record is. And you can share it with family members, caregivers and healthcare professionals.

What is a personal health record?

A personal health record is simply a record of facts about your health. Maybe you already keep a record of the shots you've gotten or you have a folder of papers from medical visits. Then you already have a basic personal health record.

But you might not be able to find paper records when you need them. Electronic personal health records (PHRs) make it easier. You can get your medical information anytime you can get on the internet. You only need a computer, smartphone or tablet.

What information goes into a PHR?

Include in your personal health record anything that helps you and your healthcare professionals manage your health. Start with the basics:

Your healthcare professionals' names and phone numbers.
Allergies, including medicine allergies.
Your medicines, including how much you take and how often.
Illnesses and surgeries you've had and when.
Procedures, such as mammograms and colonoscopies, you've had and when.
Ongoing health problems, such as high blood pressure.
Your living will and advance directives.
Family medical history.
History of vaccinations.

You also can add facts about what you do to stay healthy and prevent disease, such as:

Home blood pressure readings.
Exercise and eating habits.
Health goals, such as stopping smoking or losing weight.

Personal health records, electronic health records and patient portals

PHRs are not the same as electronic health records (EHRs), also called electronic medical records. Healthcare professionals' offices, hospitals and health insurance companies keep electronic health records.

Electronic health records have some of the same details you put in a personal health record. This might include your date of birth, medicine list and medicine allergies. But EHRs have more information because healthcare professionals use them for visit notes, test results and more.

A personal health record that's tied to an EHR is called a patient portal. Sometimes you can add information to your patient portal, such as home blood pressure readings. If you can add to yours, you may not need to keep your own personal health record.

Medical ID for emergencies

If you use an iPhone, you have a built-in Medical ID in settings. Android users can download the free Medical ID app.

You only need to fill in your health details. In an emergency, first responders can get needed health facts about you from the lock screen on your phone. This could save your life.

Medical ID can show medical conditions, allergies, medicines, blood type and emergency contacts. You also can use it to show if you're an organ donor.

Another way to have this information ready in an emergency is to keep a card with your information in your wallet or wear a medical alert bracelet.

What can a personal health record do for you?

Having a detailed record of your medical history and medicines you take can save you and your healthcare professional time. And it lets you help your healthcare professional know details about your health.

Maybe you see two or more healthcare professionals who don't use the same electronic health record system. A PHR keeps all your health information in one place.

A personal health record also helps you manage your health between medical visits. For instance, a PHR lets you:

Track your health. Record and track progress toward your health goals, such as lowering your cholesterol level.
Make the most of visits to healthcare professionals. Be ready with information you want to share, such as blood pressure readings since your last visit.
Manage your health between visits. Upload and track information from home-monitoring devices such as a blood pressure cuff. And remind yourself of what your healthcare professional told you at your last visit.
Get organized. Track appointments, vaccinations, and preventive or screening care, such as mammograms. Studies have found that the use of personal health records helps people know more about their health, make better medical decisions, follow their treatment plans, and use screening and other preventive services.

Are there downsides to personal health records?

Building a complete health record takes some time. You gather and enter all your health information.

Most often, you need to update your PHR yourself. Every time something happens that's linked to your health, add it to the list. This includes each time you see a healthcare professional, fill a prescription, have a test or go to the hospital.

Even if you use a patient portal, you still need to check what's added to it. Mistakes can happen.

Will my information be kept private?

Many people worry whether the information in their personal health record is private and secure. Many companies that manage personal health record systems make their privacy policies public. Plus, there are federal laws that protect personal health information.

How do I start?

If your main healthcare professional offers a patient portal, use it. It's the best way to have all your medical information in one place where both you and your healthcare professional can see it.

Ask the staff at the front desk how to get started. Then explore the portal's features. Most portals offer the following:

Appointment reminders.
Medicine lists.
Notes about what happens at your visits. This sometimes comes with educational material about your condition or procedure.
Secure messages between you and your healthcare professional.
Test results.
Screening due dates.
A record of vaccines.