Improving Patient Use of Interactive Preventive Health Records

Primary care practices can encourage patients to use interactive preventive health records (IPHRs) by directly engaging patients, according to research supported by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.  Investigators conducted a mixed methods assessment of a proactive implementation strategy for an IPHR portal offered by eight primary care practices.  Strategies included learning collaboratives with practice champions and redesigned workflow to integrate portal use into care.  The study found that a customized implementation strategy designed by practices resulted in 25.6% of patients using the personal health portal.  The study, “Engaging Primary Care Patients to Use a Patient-Centered Personal Health Record,” was published in the September/October issue of the Annals of Family Medicine.  
Select to access the abstract: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25354405.