Family:
Don't Let Open Enrollment Stump You This Year
New "Navigating Your Health Benefits for Dummies" Guide Helps You Navigate Your Choices
Top Reasons to Use a PHR
Maximizing Your PHR
What Is a PHR and Why Do I Need One?
Health Insurance 101
A Cheat Sheet for College Graduates and Their Parents
Are You Prepared?
Take Measures to Protect Your Family's Health in the Event of a Natural Disaster
Stretch Your Dollars
How to Save Money with Health Benefits
Finding Dr. Right
A Primary Care Physician to Meet Your Family's Needs
Flexible Spending Accounts
Use it or Lose it
Finances Have You Worried?
Your FSA Can Put You at Ease
Holiday Health Passport
Adding Health & Health Benefits to Your Holiday Checklist.
Health Benefits Go Green
Simple Steps to Save Trees and Time
Study Up on Back-to-School Health
Congratulations, You're Pregnant! ... Now What?
Answers to Common Questions
Have You Baby-Proofed Your Benefits?
Results of a New National "Bringing Home Baby" Survey
Keep Baby and Family Benefits in Check
Budgets, Benefits and...Your Baby?
The "Two Bs" of Bringing Home Baby
Parental Peace of Mind
Finding the Perfect Pediatrician for Your New Addition
FSA, HSA, HRA, RRA...What's It All Mean?
Making Sense and Making the Most of These New Types of Health Plans
Consumer-Directed Health Plans At-A-Glance
Baby-Proofing Your Health Care Benefits
Baby on Board
Critical Benefits Decisions
Benefits Checkup to Ensure a Healthy Family
Bringing Home Baby
Making Good Benefits Choices
Growing Children - Changing Needs
Top Three Things You Should Know About Pet Insurance For Your Dog or Cat
How can people protect against the rising cost of medical services for their pets? Pet insurance may be the answer.
Tools:
Main Tools Page
Your Health Benefits Priorities
Navigating Your Health Benefits
Health Expense Calculator
Baby Expense Calculator
Healthy Retirement Readiness Tool
Test Your Benefits IQ
 

Top Reasons to Use a PHR

If you were displaced by a natural disaster or rushed to the emergency room after an accident, you will likely have your wallet and identification with you. But you probably won't have immediate access to your personal medical history, including past tests, allergies to medications and effective (or ineffective) treatments for chronic conditions. Having your health records readily available online can impact the quality of care you receive when you're far away from home or experiencing an emergency.

A Personal Health Record (PHR) organizes health information in a secure, password-protected online record. And since it's always at your fingertips — maintained on the Internet — having a PHR can be a critical resource, whether you're going for your yearly check-up or facing a more serious issue, such as a surgery.

Your PHR compiles detailed claims information typically added by your insurer, such as doctors' visits, labs, treatments and prescriptions, into a comprehensive record. You can then add your own personal information such as health history, specific conditions in the family, or whether you take over-the-counter medications. In some cases, you may also be able to give your physicians access to your PHR online. The personal information included is protected by The Privacy Rule, part of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act a (HIPAA), which protects health information that can be linked to an individual.

In addition to the insurance claims and medical information, some advanced PHRs offer personalized messages and alerts. Advanced technology will scan the information listed in the PHR, comparing your health data and claims information against medical literature. When appropriate, your insurer then alerts you, your doctor, and in some cases both of you about any contraindications or opportunities to improve care.

Ask your insurance company or employer if a PHR is available to you now, or if it will be in the future. Millions of consumers can expect to have a basic or more advanced online PHR available to them this year.

What is this?


Related Stories:
Retirement Q&A
Answers to Common Health Benefits and Financial Questions from FPA
10 Tips for a Healthy Retirement
Health Care Options After Retirement
What You Need to Know About Medicare
Consumer-Directed Health Plans At-A-Glance
Benefits Checkup to Ensure a Healthy Family
ToDoForYou
Health Insurance 101