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Press Release
New Brief from Mathematica Examines Features of Available Personal Health Records
Features May Not Match Needs of Underserved Individuals
Contact: Lorenzo Moreno, (609)- 936-2766, or
Cheryl Pedersen, (609) 275-2258
PRINCETON, N.J. (May 17, 2007)—Personal health information is a valuable resource to individuals and their families, as well as health care providers. A new issue brief from Mathematica Policy Research, Inc., describes the features of 21software-based Personal Health Records (PHRs). It also assesses whether the features match the needs and preferences of underserved individuals, most of them minorities who face economic, cultural, or linguistic barriers to health care, and often have low health and computer literacy.
PHRs are comprehensive paper- or electronic-based systems for recording an individual's health-related information, such as family medical history, insurance coverage, demographic data, immunizations, prescribed and over-the-counter medications, diagnosed diseases, and the like. Both providers and patients can enter information into a PHR. However, PHRs differ from provider-maintained clinical electronic health records in that the patient owns the PHR and controls access to it.
Most of the software-based PHRs included a section for entering general health and demographic information, emergency contacts, and health insurance information. In addition, all but one provided a field to record prescription drug use, and most can store images or documents. The PHRs reviewed had been on the market an average of five years, and the producer charges a fee with an average one-time cost of $64 for all but two of the products.
The brief notes that undeserved minorities want PHRs that are portable, secure, private, simple, and affordable. More specifically, they deemed desirable the following features:
- “Smart card” technology
- Ability to restrict access to providers and trusted entities
- Provision of basic health information
In addition, many said they would pay modest set-up and update fees, but they are reluctant to pay maintenance fees.
Mathematica® conducted focus groups with individuals from underserved low-income minority groups to discuss PHRs and their capacity to improve health care. All participants were between the ages of 30 and 80 and resided in a medically underserved area of New Brunswick, N.J. Discussion themes included how people keep track of their health information, reactions to the PHR concept, and desirable qualities of a PHR. The study was funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
“Rapidly expanding PHR offerings suggest that consumer demand for this technology is expected to be strong in the future,” said Lorenzo Moreno, lead author of the brief and a senior researcher at Mathematica. “On the basis of our focus groups and review of current products, it is unclear whether existing PHRs have the features residents of medically underserved areas want. To some extent this is not surprising because the PHR market is in the early stages of development. Lack of consumer demand is currently an important barrier to adoption.”
The brief suggests that PHR developers may be reluctant to adapt their products to specific populations until technical, privacy, and security standards are established and a business model proves successful. In the future, developers may need to step up their efforts to assess the usability of their products by low-income minority populations with limited access to computers and low health literacy. In addition, the federal government may need to make a better case for how electronic PHRs can help consumers navigate the health care system and make it more affordable.
“Personal Health Records: What Do Underserved Consumers What?” by Moreno, Stephanie Peterson, Ann Bagchi, and Raquel af Ursin is on the web at www.mathematica-mpr.com/publications/redirect_pubsdb.asp?strSite=pdfs/phrissuebr.pdf. Printed copies are available from Publications, (609) 275-2350.
Mathematica, a nonpartisan firm, conducts policy research and surveys for federal and state governments, foundations, and private-sector clients. The employee-owned company, with offices in Princeton, N.J., Washington, D.C., and Cambridge, Mass., has conducted some of the most important studies of health care, disability, early childhood policies, welfare, education, employment, and nutrition programs in the U.S. Mathematica strives to improve public well-being by bringing the highest standards of quality, objectivity, and excellence to bear on the provision of information collection and analysis to its clients.
##### Mathematica® is a registered trademark of Mathematica Policy Research, Inc.
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