Personal Health Records, Medical Health Records, and Health Outcomes
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- Category: Vol. 82, December 2014
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Personal Health Records, Medical Health Records, and Health Outcomes
Abstract
Aim: This systematic review aims to assess the impact of patient access to medical records, facilitated through Personal Health Records (PHRs), on various health outcomes and pa-tient-centered care measures. Methods: A comprehensive literature search was conduct-ed using databases such as PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Sci-ence to identify relevant studies published between 2000 and 2023. Studies examining the effects of PHR access on physical health outcomes, psychosocial variables, health behaviors, and patient-centered care measures were included. Data extraction
focused on study design, participant characteristics, interven-tions, outcomes measured, and key findings related to patient access to medical records. Results: The review included 36 studies that met the in-clusion criteria. Findings revealed mixed effects of PHR ac-cess on physical health outcomes, with improvements noted in diabetes-specific measures such as glycated hemoglobin A1C in some trials. Psychosocial outcomes showed variability, with mixed findings on anxiety and depression. Health behavior impacts were inconsistent, highlighting varied responses in ad-herence and lifestyle changes among patients accessing PHRs. Patient-centered care measures, including satisfaction and per-ceived usefulness of PHR access, showed moderate improve-ments in some studies but were inconclusive across others. Conclusion: Patient access to medical records through
PHRs demonstrates potential benefits for enhancing patient en-gagement and satisfaction. However, variability in health out-comes and patient experiences necessitates further research to optimize PHR implementation. Addressing disparities in PHR use and understanding its impact on safety, timeliness, and eq-uity in healthcare delivery are critical for maximizing the ben-efits of PHR access in clinical practice.