Google Health Records

Personal Health Records - which are key suppliers PHR and what is their treatment of laboratory results?

Several important events have led the public and industry interest in personal health records. In 2004, President George W. Bush presented a plan for the implementation of electronic health record that could be accessed by all Americans. Although many companies have been in the market for several years, the announcement has given impetus to growth in this area. In 2007 and early 2008, computer giants Google and Microsoft have announced their intention to enter this market, Google with Google Health and Microsoft HealthVault Microsoft.

In March 2008, the laboratory industry leader Quest Diagnostics has announced a partnership with Google Health to provide laboratory test download version of Google for a Personal Health Record (PHR).

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services lists six positive results with the implementation of widespread personal and / or electronic health records.

1. Improving the quality of care
2. Preventing medical errors
3. Reduce costs of health care
4. Increasing administrative efficiency
5. Reduced paperwork
6. Expanded access to affordable healthcare

Although there are a number of potential barriers to widespread implementation of personal health records, three are most important. They are:

1. Interoperability. The different systems must be able to interact with each other and various computer systems.

2. Privacy and Security. The systems must provide HIPAA compliance-like, but also security measures similar to the banking sector and in accordance with a variety of industry standards.

3. Alteration. For physicians to be able to act on medical information they need to be sure of the veracity of medical data. This will require at least partially they are able to determine the sources and the changes that have taken place in the information contained in personal health records.

Although there are a number of companies currently on the market offering personal health records, they fall into four broad categories.

1. Standalones. These companies are primarily the record of personal health, such as LifeOnKey or FollowMe. In some cases, these companies also specialize or have sub-categories of specialties, such as MIVI, which was designed for the population migrant farm workers, or focus LifeOnKey diabetes or focus of women's health.

2. Spin-Offs of information technology or software. Most notable in this category are Google Health and Microsoft HealthVault.

3. Providers of health care. Examples are Partners HealthCare patients MyGroupHealth Gateway and the Group Health Cooperative.

4. Providers platform. In some cases, companies focus unless the patient / consumer 's personal health record, as in the provision of platform and / or technology for personal health records. MedCommons is an example. Microsoft HealthVault can also fall into this category. FollowMe is also willing to customize their products for other companies, which then provide their own brand.

There are five ways personal health record vendors are generating revenue.

1. Subscriptions. Typically, providers of PHR self rated load the annual subscription rates ranging from about $ 25 to $ 50.

2. Advertising. Google Health and Microsoft HealthVault indicate they will generate revenue through advertising. It is not yet clear how Microsoft intends to do, but Google said that the health of their product itself does not contain advertising, but will research fields that connect to traditional top Google, which are targeted advertising.

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