Embracing a health services research perspective on personal health records: Lessons learned from the VA my healthevet system

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. © 2009 Society of General Internal Medicine.