Creating, Reviewing, and Updating Your Personal Health Record

By Ailene Gerhardt, MA, BCPA, Founder, Beacon Patient Solutions LLC

Technology is playing a wonderful role in our connection to others while remaining physically distant to prevent the spread of COVID-19. From online video chats and meetings, to streaming educational and entertainment content, to social network groups organizing the needs of community members, it is a vital tool for navigating the uncertain times in which we live.

At this time when we are guided to “stay at home,” we find ourselves juggling responsibilities and filling time once occupied by out of the home activities, meetings, gatherings, etc.

Now is a good time to create, review, and update your Personal Health Record. Unlike your electronic health records stored on a portal for your different pharmacies and healthcare providers, a personal health record is a document you compile with all the information about your health.

You may have a binder or file folder you already use for this purpose. You may have created a file on your computer or used an online tool to create your personal health record. You may have been meaning to start this project and never got around to it. This is a good time to create your record or review what is in it, update it as necessary and make sure those you care about and care about you know how to access it.

Mayo Clinic’s article on powerful tools to manage your health, offers a wonderful list of the benefits of having a personal health record (PHR):

• Improved patient engagement

• Better access to patient information

• Improved management of information from multiple providers

• Better patient-provider communication

• Ability to manage family healthcare

So, what should one keep in a personal health record?: Here are some suggestions to help get you started:

• Name, Blood Type, Emergency Contact name, relationship and contact information

• A current copy of your insurance card / Medicare/Medicaid card, Supplemental Insurance Card

• Medical Summary:

  • An updated list of all healthcare providers with contact information: primary care, specialists, behavioral health, physical, occupational and speech therapists

  • An updated list of current medications (and dosage), vitamins, and supplements

  • A list of allergies

  • Family history

  • Immunizations and dates

  • Information about chronic conditions and diseases

  • Dates and results of tests and screenings

  • Hospitalization Records

  • Detailed dated records regarding surgeries or procedures

  • Medical appointment visit summaries

Do you need help organizing your documents? Email me to start working together to create and organize your Healthcare Advocacy Plan!

Medline Plus has a resource page dedicated to Personal Health Records. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) posted an article on it’s website about privacy laws (HIPAA) and Personal Health records.

During this uncertain time, you do not want to be facing a healthcare emergency and not have immediate access to your accurate, potentially lifesaving, information.

Contact me to start work on your Healthcare Advocacy PLAN, which includes your personal health record and more. I will work with you to prepare, compile, and organize your healthcare advocacy goals, priorities, needs and organize all your important documents.

Creating your PLAN will give you the peace of mind to know that your important paperwork, support system, and other resources are in place. Your healthcare advocacy PLAN is a dynamic document that will reflect your healthcare concerns, values, goals, and wishes and can be changed or updated at any time.

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Connect With Us: When the complexity of your healthcare situation is too challenging to navigate on your own working with an independent board certified patient advocate can help cut through the “red tape” and reduce complications at an emotional time. Contact Ailene to learn more about the value of working with a private patient advocate.