Personal Health Records

Summary

You’ve probably seen your chart at your doctor’s office. In fact, you may have charts at several doctors’ offices. If you’ve been in the hospital, you have a chart there, too. These charts are your medical records. They may be on paper or electronic. To keep track of all this information, it’s a good idea to keep your own personal health record.

What kind of information would you put in a personal health record? You could start with:

• Your name, birth date, blood type, and emergency contact information
• Date of last physical
• Dates and results of tests and screenings
• Major illnesses and surgeries, with dates
• A list of your medicines and supplements, the dosages, and how long you’ve taken them
• Any allergies
• Any chronic diseases
• Any history of illnesses in your family

Clinical Trials

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Electronic Health Records National Institutes of Health
• ClinicalTrials.gov: Health Records, Personal National Institutes of Health
• ClinicalTrials.gov: Meaningful Use National Institutes of Health

Related Issues

• Creating a Personal Health Journal (Health Diary) American Academy of Family Physicians
• How to Keep Your Health Information Private and Secure Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology
• How to Read Your Radiology Report Radiological Society of North America
• Letting Your Personal Health Information Be Used and Shared for Research National Institutes of Health
• Patient Access to Health Records Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology
• Protecting the Privacy and Security of Your Health Information Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology

Find an Expert

• Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights

Children

• Does the HIPAA Privacy Rule Allow Parents the Right to See Their Children’s Medical Records? Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights
• Viewing Clinical Notes in Your Child’s Electronic Medical Record Nemours Foundation

Teenagers

• Electronic Health Records Nemours Foundation
• Your Medical Records Nemours Foundation

Statistics and Research

• FastStats: Electronic Medical Records/Electronic Health Records (EMRs/EHRs) National Center for Health Statistics
• Individuals Use of Technology to Track Health Care Charges and Costs Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology
• Office-Based Physician Electronic Health Record Adoption Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology
• QuickStats: Percentage of Residential Care Communities That Use Electronic Health Records, by Census Region — United States, 2016 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Patient Handouts

• Patient portals – An online tool for your health Medical Encyclopedia

Journal Articles

• Personal Health Records