Embracing a health services research perspective on personal health records: lessons learned from the VA My HealtheVet system.

Nazi KM, Hogan TP, Wagner TH, McInnes DK, Smith BM, Haggstrom D, Chumbler NR, Gifford AL, Charters KG, Saleem JJ, Weingardt KR, Fischetti LF, Weaver FM. Embracing a health services research perspective on personal health records: lessons learned from the VA My HealtheVet system. Journal of general internal medicine. 2010 Jan 1; 25 Suppl 1:62-7.

Related HSR&D Project(s)

• RCS 98-354 – Research Career Scientist Award
• CDA 09-024 – Circumventing Health IT: Identifying Patient Safety Risks
• RRP 09-192 – Intervention to Provide Veterans with Health-Related Internet Skills
• RRP 09-225 – My HealtheVet Cross-Cutting Quality Enhancement Research Initiative Workgroup
• RRP 09-129 – Promoting Implementation of My Health-e-Vet Among Veterans with SCI/D
• CDA 07-016 – Patterns of Follow-up Care Among Colorectal Cancer Survivors
• RRP 08-396 – Supporting the Evaluation of the Health eVet Personal Health Record

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Abstract:

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. CONCLUSION: These lessons are applicable to other PHR systems and the conduct of PHR research across different organizational contexts.