Caring for health is a lifelong and complicated process that has become diversified with the development of technology. Patients become active participants in treatment, which means balancing the efforts of the provider and the audience. Personal Health Record (PHR) is a promising technology because it combines EHR data and information obtained directly from patients even without their participation. However, it opens up the potential for technical errors and fraud due to high technological requirements. Thus, PHR will be implemented efficiently in data encryption, device authorization to transmit information, and regular compliance checks.
PHRs are essential for integrating technology into the patient’s daily life. It was noted that the main advantage of the system is the ability to combine EHR data and indicators of independent sensors, for example, accelerometers and smartwatches (Roehrs et al., 2017). It improves the control and methodology of information use, as the provider and the client are simultaneously involved in health monitoring and timely initiation of interventions. However, PHR may not be efficiently implemented due to particular barriers. For example, patients with low income and vulnerable social indicators may not provide data to the system or distort it due to irregular activities (Showell, 2017). Consequently, the benefits of technology may conflict with the demographic resources for its implementation. In turn, it contradicts the Christian principles of accessible health care regardless of a person’s individual or social characteristics (Cuellar De la Cruz & Robinson, 2017). Thus, PHR could be beneficial to society if suppliers level out inequalities in the global community.
The health delivery system is being modernized in parallel with the development of technologies in customer-oriented models. PHR is an innovative system as it allows the patient and physician to monitor and supplement data. However, it exposes barriers to technology use for people with vulnerable social and demographic indicators and contradicts the Christian model of caring. Thus, PHR’s rational use is defined as being available to any patient regardless of their financial status.
References
Cuellar De la Cruz, Y., & Robinson, S. (2017). Answering the call to accessible quality health care for all using a new model of local community not-for-profit charity clinics: A return to Christ-centered care of the past. The Linacre Quarterly, 84(1), 44-56.
Roehrs, A., da Costa, C., Righi, R., & de Oliveira, K. (2017). Personal health records: A systematic literature review. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 19(1), e13.
Showell, C. (2017). Barriers to the use of personal health records by patients: a structured review. Peerj, 5. Web.