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Maximizing Your PHR

A Personal Health Record (PHR) stores all of your essential health information in a password-protected online record. Think of it as a check register for your bank account — an easy way to keep track of valuable health information. Typically, your insurance company adds submitted claims (like lab tests, doctors' visits and prescription drugs), the location of your last office visit and prescribed treatments. In some cases you can also include your own information like your personal and family medical history, allergies and diet and exercise regimens. Having a central resource can help improve the quality of care you receive — cutting down on duplicate tests and medical missteps — and may even save you money in the long run. Here are some tips to help you get the most out of your PHR.

It's All in the Details

A PHR helps your doctors provide better-informed care, so the more details you add to your PHR the better. Here's a scenario: Imagine if you switched primary care physicians. When you go in for your first exam your new doctor prescribes penicillin for that pesky sinus infection, unaware that you are allergic to the medication. Sure, you should have mentioned the allergy when handed the prescription, but your brain is cloudy from being sick and you simply forgot to alert the new doc.

Your PHR is transferable if you switch doctors. Simply print it out and take it along to your first visit. If you had an up-to-date, detailed PHR to share with the doctor, he or she would be more likely to know about the allergy and would have prescribed another medication. What's more, some of the more advanced PHRs regularly scan all your information, including new prescriptions, and send you an alert if there are medications that could cause an allergic reaction or conflict with other conditions you have or other treatments you are undergoing. If you have a PHR, populate it with details.

Ten Ways to Personalize Your PHR

1. Blood type
2. Diet and exercise regimens
3. Family medical history
4. Height
5. Immunizations
6. Natural therapies
7. Over-the-counter medications
8. Personal medical history
9. Risk factors associated with disease
10. Weight

An Apple a Day

You know what they say, "An apple a day keeps the doctor away." Believe it or not, using a PHR is similar. Keeping an updated PHR can help you comply with treatment recommendations. For example, lots of adolescents experience acne problems and specific treatment regimens and prescriptions can be tough to keep straight — benzoyl peroxide topical lotion twice a day, another serum a few times per week, prescription pills, etc. If you have a PHR you can log in to refresh your memory about your prescriptions and how to use the different treatments. Following the exact regimen day in and day out may help you (and your skin) get better, faster — minimizing recurrent trips to the dermatologist's office.

Show Me the Money!

Using a PHR may also save you money. If your doctors know about your previous tests and lab results, they can avoid unnecessary and duplicate tests. More importantly, they can provide better care, since information like past medications, contraindications and allergies should be listed on your PHR.

The personal information included is protected by federal regulation called the Privacy Rule. Talk to your insurance company or employer to see if an online PHR is available to you.

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