Personal health records (PHR) contain vital information that can reduce cost, eliminate duplication of services and relieve the stress associated with not knowing healthcare details for yourself, your child or parents, especially in cases of an emergency. Fortunately today there are safe, secure and affordable (or even free) web based services available to store and access this information, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Knowing which electronic PHR service is best for you depends on what your individual needs are, and your ability to pay.

The free services offer very basic capabilities generally limited to the storage and retrieval of health information. The fee for service companies offer extensive capabilities for uploading and downloading medical history via fax and can store additional information including vital financial and medical records, and living wills. Having a centralized electronic PHR empowers individuals to control their health better by providing easy access to their medical history and creates a mechanism for sharing it with health care provides in a timely fashion. Doing so can eliminate the need for duplicate diagnostic and laboratory tests, and facilitate more rapid and effective treatment. While our medical center does not currently endorse any particular service provider, here is information about several free options you can choose form:

Google Health

Microsoft Health Vault