Personal health records are a person’s digital records that can be safely stored on a cloud-based application. It conforms to national interoperability standards and can be easily accessed using different devices such as desktops, laptops, mobile phones etc.
Personal Health Record system is not to be confused with other electronic medical records (EMR) as the information can only be shared with the user’s consent. PHR can be drawn from multiple medical institutes and sources.
Users’ health information will be stored on a health records application that has been integrated with the ABDM. Personal health record makes an important component of the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission which aims to improve the digital health infrastructure of India. This can be done through the Docprime Health Locker, the first digital health locker in India that has been integrated with Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission.
Users can store and manage their health information by fetching personal health and medical records from different clinics and hospitals — all in one place. This health information can be theirs as well as that of others, given that they are authorised to do so.
What are the Features of Personal Health Records?
Personal Health Records can consist of a person’s existing as well as new medical records. PHR includes digital records of an individual’s doctor prescriptions, hospital records, diagnostic and lab reports, discharge summaries, etc. Let us take a look at some unique features of PHR:
- Requires creation of unique ABHA Number
- Access to all health information
- Easy linking of health records with the given ABHA Number
- Management of consents
- Offers storage and management for self as well as family members
- Voluntary exit and permanent erasure of records whenever opted
Function of Personal Health Records
Using a personal health record system, users across India can easily upload their medical records on a secure cloud-based application and store them safely for future use. This will make it easier to share any person’s medical records with a medical professional, given that they are listed under the Healthcare Professionals Registry (HPR).
Users can easily contact listed health service providers and avail themselves of different digital health services under a personal health records application. All this can be accessed for free while maintaining a single pool of the user’s medical history.
