10 Online Medical Record Applications

Google Health

Google Health is a medical records app offered through Google.  It's a free, very no-frills way to create personal health record (PHR).  Users are able to add health problems, medications, allergies, immunizations and insurance as well as upload their own files.  Users are also able to track health stats like hours slept, calories burned and vegetable servings as well as the usual blood pressure and weight.  The layout is in list form without having changing pages.   The only requirement for using Google Health is a GMail address.
Patients or Practices:  Patients
The Plus: It's very user-friendly and has drop down tabs for conditions and medications.

The Not-So-Plus:  Very basic.

HealthVault

The HealthVault by Microsoft is a free unique application.  Users are allowed to add people to their profile and give them the ability to view, add and alter data.  The absolute best thing about the HealthVault is that data can be directly added to the record by means of Microsoft compatible medical devices and testing kits such as glucometers, scales and blood pressure cuffs.  The data can be printed or saved and emailed to keep physicians better informed of their patients' health. 
Patients or Practices:  Patients
The Plus:  The application is compatible with various medical devices and equipment to input data directly into your PHR
The Not-So-Plus:  Only available to users in the United States and Great Britain

iHealthRecord

Medfusion and Intuit Health recently acquired iHealthRecord Personal Health Record from Medem.  They will be offering online communication with physicians to request appointments, fill out paperwork and ask their doctors secure questions.  So far, Medfusion/Intuit Health provide solutions to help practices be more efficient, streamlined and improve the patient's experience.
Patients or Practices: Both
The Plus:  Allows patients remote access to communication with their doctor.
The Not-So-Plus:  No information on their site yet

Hello Health

Hello Health by Myca is a site based out of Canada.  Their medical application called Hello Health is for the provider and the patient alike.  Their site is very welcoming to look at and very easy to use.  There is a free Electronic Health Record for physicians and a free PHR for patients.  Patients are able to schedule appointments and refill prescriptions online as well as have "video visits" and send instant messages with their doctor.  Doctors are able to have easier access and communication with their patients as well as start a new direct-pay practice.
Patients or Practices:  Both
The Plus: Is free for both patients and practices. 
The Not-So-Plus: Does not allow patients to add details to conditions, allergies, medication dosages, etc.....

myEliteHealth

If there was a Facebook for the doctor's office, it would be myEliteHealth.  On their patient portal, users can add doctors, nurses and health coaches to their social network.  Along with health professionals, users can also add friends, family members and other patients to communicate with and share records. Online medical consultations, prescription requests and appointment scheduling are offered.
Patients or Practices:  Patients
The Plus:  The social networking aspect and free online consultations with the health coach.
The Not-So-Plus:  Accessing medical records isn't free.

MyMedicalRecords

MyMedicalRecords is a very unique site in the sense that it a multi-function medical record application.  As well as being a PHR, it is also a means of secure storage for other important documents such as birth certificates and passports.   Users are assigned a personal telephone number for the account and can now send faxes from the computer and receive voice message notifications. MyMedicalRecords also has an application for practices to convert their paper files to digital and share them with patients in real time. 
Patients or Practices:  Both
The Plus:  Does not require any special EMR system to use and the personal phone number.
The Not-So-Plus:  Not free to register. 

MyOptumHealth

MyOptumHealth is another very user-friendly application.  There is a lot of information packed into one site. The Health Hubs are groups of health-related articles based on interests/condition.  Along with keeping health records, MyOptumHealth has various interactive applications like the symptom checker, the fitness assessment and a fertility calculator. 
Patients or Practice:  Patients
The Plus:  The app allows users to track all doctor visits and search for doctors in their area.
The Not-So-Plus:  Doesn't allow medical record file uploads

myPHR

myPHR is not actually a medical record application but it is a good resource for getting started on one.  It's full of relevant information for different generation groups as well as the chronically ill, military families, athletes and travelers.  The site has a directory of PHR providers to choose from, based on the user's preferences: web-based, software-based or paper-based and free or purchase/subscribe.  PDF file forms are available to download to create paper PHRs. 
Patients or Practices:  Both
The Plus:  Allows user to choose whether they want to pay for a PHR or not and has downloadable forms.
The Not-So-Plus:  Does actually let the user store a PHR on their site.

RemedyMD

Unlike the other applications, RemedyMD is specifically for hospitals and research.  They have developed the first Meta-Registry for research outcomes.  They have two applications, both of which link spreadsheets and databases with different systems with the Mosaic Meta-Registry and provide tools to compare the findings of one researcher and compare it to that of another. 
Patients or Practices: Practices
The Plus:  The free White Paper, a registry of disease specific data to link up researchers and clinicians.
The Not-So-Plus:  Only applicable to practices.

WebMD

One of the most popular medical websites, WebMD, has a PHR available to everyone.  It's free and pretty standard but has features like the Health Quotient risk assessment tool and the Child Health manager to follow your kids' progress (6 years old and under) and possible physical, social and developmental risks.  Compared to the rest of the applications reviewed, they have a pretty varied health tracker which includes statistics for eye exams, pap smears, forced expiratory volume and urine protein level.  
Patients or Practices:  Patients
The Plus:  The Child Health Manager.
The Not-So-Plus:  Impossible to use with smaller screens.

10 Things to Put In Your PHR

So you've decided to start a personal health record (PHR) and you're not sure where to start.   Most of it will rely on a sharpness of your own memory and a fax from your doctor.  The first 5 of the 10 things to put in your PHR will be from your own memory, talking to your doctor and family members.  The last 5 are actual records you will need to get from your doctor's office and any hospital where you have been treated. 

1. Contact Info

Think of a PHR as your health resume.  Your contact information is always at the top of the page or the beginning.  The first of the 10 things to put in your PHR will be your name, your address and your telephone numbers.  You'll also want to add your emergency contact info.  Their name and phone numbers as well as their relation to you.  It is also important to have your doctor's info on hand in the contacts section.  That way you won't have to search through the phone book or dig for their business card in your wallet.  Last, you'll want to add your insurance information: the company name, type of plan, group number and policy ID.  Your insurance policy number isn't something you recite on a daily basis, like a phone or credit card number, so it's good to have it on hand in your record.  If you have certain religious beliefs, you may want to describe them as well, such as whether or not you would accept organ or blood donations. 

2. Family History

The family history section of your PHR will include all people whom you are genetically related to you.  That would include parents, grandparents and great grandparents, siblings and half siblings, aunts and uncles, nieces and nephews and your own children.  Keeping a record of your family's health history is a good way of keeping track of your own health.  Conditions such as Alzehimer's, asthma, diabetes and mental illnesses tend to run in families have have a good possibility of effecting you if one or more of your family members has a certain condition.  Even if your relatives have already passed away, it's still important to add their information and the cause of their death.  Family history is something that will need to be continually updated, as your relatives' conditions may change over time.  

3. Medications

Making a list of the medications you take, past and present, is very important to put in your PHR.  You'll want to include prescription medications as well as over the counter ones, such as vitamins and supplements.  The information you'll want to log will be the medication name, the dosage and the frequency. Make sure you keep your medication list up to date as well, as your doctor may switch your meds on a frequent basis or the names may change.  It's also very important to list any allergies you have to certain medications and what reaction you had. 

4. Allergies

Along with allergies to medications, you'll list your other allergies as well in your PHR. You may want to categorize them by severity: mild (rash and/or congestion), moderate (difficulty breathing) and severe (anaphylaxis).  Or categorize them by allergen, such as environmental, medication, venom (from insects) and medication.  If you have received treatment in the past or present, such as shots, oral medication or homeopathy, be sure to describe them and if they were successful or not. 

5. Your Medical Conditions

Now, let's focus on just your medical conditions.  You'll want to list both past and present.  Past would be illnesses that have already been treated or don't greatly effect you today.  Did you have the chickenpox as a child?  What about mononucleosis?  Were you at one time diagnosed with cancer, treated and are now cancer-free?  Current conditions would be illnesses that effect you today.  Do you have high cholesterol?  Osteoporosis?  Are you currently being treated for cancer?  Also, with the conditions, list the treatments you have received for them.

6. Progress Notes

Now we get to the part that may require a scanner or downloading PDF files.  Many people find that filing records chronologically, with the most recent on top, to be a most convenient.  Progress notes, or follow up notes, are made by your doctor when you see him/her for consultations and to discuss previous procedures and labs.

7. Lab Results

Your lab results will mainly be from any blood draw that you have done. Labs may also include results from urine and tissue samples.  You will also be able to better keep track of the frequency of your routine labs, such as lipid panels, and make sure they get done on time.   

8. Diagnostic Scans and X Rays

Diagnostic scans would be considered CTs, MRIs, ultrasounds, mammograms, bone density scans and PET scans.  Procedures like colonoscopies and heart catheterizations can also go in diagnostic scans as well.  X Rays will could be the actual X Ray or the written findings report from the doctor. 

9. Hospitalizations

Hospitalization records include both emergency room visits as well as inpatient treatment. 

10. Surgeries

Surgery reports will tell you the history that led up to the procedure and a detailed description of what was performed.  You may also want to put pathology reports from biopsies in surgeries as well.

Why YOU Should Have a PHR

Keeping a personal health record (PHR) is like keeping a blog or a diary of your health.  Do you remember when you last vaccinations were and what they were for?  Do you know what medications you're allergic to?  Do you remember the dates and reasons for the every surgery and hospital visit?  Where do you keep all of these records?  By keeping a PHR electronically, you will have all this information at your fingertips 24/7 wherever you have access to internet.

You: On A Record

Your PHR is a portfolio of your medical history.  It's where you will record chronic illnesses and health problems as well as your family's health history.  It will have the list of your vaccinations, allergies, a list of medications you've taken - past and present with their dosages - and whether or not you were allergic to any of them.  There you will also keep lab test results, scans, X-Rays, hospitalization records and surgeries.  By keeping your records electronically, it enables you to keep your records organized and in one location, rather than in boxes in the attic, basement and garage.     

Always Be Prepared

Yup, just like the tell you in Scouts.  Nobody likes to think about it, but bad things can and do happen.  Most of us, at some point in our lives, will unexpectedly wind up in the emergency room.  Your ER doctor will be able to see all of your records with the click of a mouse.  Step on a rusty nail?  Your PHR will tell the doctor when you last had your tetanus shot.  The good thing about going digital is that it won't matter which emergency room you're in, whether it's in London, Buenos Aires, Tokyo or down the street from you own home.  

Keep It In The Family

You may also want to give your family access to your records too, just in case of emergencies.  Should the ER call your emergency contact number, that person would also be able to inform the ER doctor of any important medical information by being able to view your records.  By sharing among family members, you can spot health patterns that run in the family and prevent them from occurring or getting worse.  Many of people find keeping PHRs for their elderly parents to be beneficial, as adult kids are usually ones the ones that take them to doctors appointments and pick up their prescriptions and need to have their information on hand.

Be A Work In Progress

Keeping a PHR is a great way to monitor your own vital scores.  Whether you check your blood sugar multiple times every day or get your cholesterol checked once a year, keeping an up to date record enables you to monitor your test results or progress.  Aiming to lose a few pounds or lower your blood pressure?  Talk to your doctor about setting a goal for yourself and create a plan together on the best way to reach it.  Your PHR will allow you to enter your weight or blood pressure on a regular basis and you will be able to see yourself achieving your goal.         

Wait, So What Is a PHR Again?

So you might be wondering what a PHR is exactly.  All the acronyms can be a little confusing!  There are three terms you will see being used here on a regular basis: EMR, EHR and PHR.  The three are different entities but are all tied together to create a flow of information. 

An Electronic Medical Record, or EMR, is an electronic health record of an individual created and maintained by licensed physicians and authorized staff from one health care organization.  For instance, the record created by your primary care physician.  If have seen your doctor or their medical assistant walking around with a laptop or an iPad in the past few years, they're keeping your records electronically now instead of in the old bulky manila folder. 

An Electronic Health Record, or EHR, is the collective electronic health record of an individual created, shared and maintained by licensed physicians and authorized staff from multiple health care organizations.  An example of an EHR is if you have start going to a specialist, your specialist can access your EMR from your primary care physician and add to it and your primary physician can see the notes from your specialist.

A Personal Health Record, or PHR, is a collective electronic personal health record of an individual created, shared and maintained by licensed physicians and authorized staff from multiple health care organizations that the patient keeps for their personal use.  The patient is the legal owner of their PHR and has the right to share it with others such as family members.  PHRs can be accessed and managed from web applications called patient portals, where patients may able to communicate with their doctor as well as privately view their medical records.  Patients have the ability to to add their own information to their PHRs, such family history, vaccinations and previous surgeries and illnesses.  PHRs can also be used to track test results such as blood pressure, blood sugar, weight, BMI, cholesterol and triglycerides, which can be beneficial to both you and your physician.