In October 2005, I wrote about my Personal Health Record. I've kept it up todate but have one complaint I'd like to share. None of my doctors have signed up, even though it is the PHR of the American Medical Association. As a result, I don't see myself creating one for my family members -- yes that task would fall to me.
I've read a lot about uploading payer information into PHRs and think this is a wonderful idea. I'm also afraid to say that PHRs tied to payers may be the most successful model since doctors will have an incentive (pay) to participate.
So, I don't even know if the theory of the baby book effect can be assessed in my family, because I can't really test the PHR when my doctors don't participate. All I do know is that there is no one to read the data I've recorded in my PHR! So, it is unlikely that anyone else in the family will have one! Unless of course, our health insurer offers a PHR!
I guess that speaks for Medem's ability to create clear adoption incentives for physicians. I believe the physician-to-patient ratio in their membership is in 10X neighborhood and they still cannot get docs to play!
Until there is real money at stake for docs not much will change.
Posted by: The Medical Blog Network | March 16, 2006 at 06:28 AM
Christina:
I've also set up a PHR through IBM's offering, managed by WebMD.
I'm wondering how patients who have PHRs could build a groundswell of demand for their doctors to use the data, perhaps by some kind of national campaign...Email your PHR to Your Doctor Day, or something.
Posted by: Jack Mason | March 16, 2006 at 07:38 AM