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Participatory Healthcare Informatics Discussion Board
Tonya Wright
School of Business, Liberty University
Author Note
I have no known conflict of interest to disclose.
Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to
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Participatory Healthcare Informatics Discussion Board
Noblin, et al., (2012) state, “Health literacy is a concept that describes a patient's ability to
understand materials provided by physicians or other providers.” Health literacy is important in
today’s fast-paced and information-driven society. Limited health literacy can result in adverse
outcomes, including prolonged and more frequent hospitalizations, increased reliance on
emergency rooms, and difficulty managing chronic conditions such as asthma and diabetes
(Noblin, et al., 2012). “It is hoped that technology barriers will disappear over time, and
usefulness of the information will promote increased utilization of PHRs. Patient understanding
of the information remains a challenge that must be overcome to realize the full potential of
PHRs” (Noblin, et al., 2012). The study aimed to show how prepared patients at a specific
physician's office were to adopt personal health records (PHRs) and that willingness to use PHRs
was compared with their health literacy.
The rising use of electronic health records (EHRs) has led to PHRs, and the use of PHRs adds to
the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act’s (HITEC) meaningful
use. “A PHR is defined as ‘an electronic, lifelong resource of health information needed by
individuals to make health decisions’” (Noblin, et al., 2012). PHRs are a great addition to
patient-centered care delivery as the patient has their health care information on demand. If a
patient has low health literacy, the provider or nurse may need to teach the patient how to use
their PHR and interpret the data within the PHR. The provider or nurse can use an eHealth
Literacy Scale (eHEALS) to help determine their patients' health literacy and how much time
they need to spend with each patient to help them understand their PHR. The PHR enables direct
and timely communication with the physician, empowering the patient to be actively involved
and participate in the decision-making process regarding their health (Noblin, et al., 2012).
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The demographics of the study are intriguing, with the majority of participants being female,
aged between 26 and 70, possessing at least a high school diploma or GED, and having an
income of $20,000 or less. Seventy-four percent of the study participants stated they would
utilize a PHR. Alanazi, et al., (2023) state, “Our findings showed that there were no significant
barriers to adopting the PHR. Additionally, we found that less than half of the participants
believed that their current PHR helped them to improve their health.” This indicates that, despite
an 11-year gap between these two studies, barriers to the use of PHRs persist. It underscores the
need for healthcare providers to improve their communication about the importance of PHRs and
patient health. “Overall, supplying patients with education and other tools, such as access to their
medical records, has the potential to decrease healthcare encounters and costs” (Noblin, et al.,
2012). It will be intriguing to observe the trajectory of PHRs as technology continues to advance,
especially in a post-COVID world where eHealth is gaining prominence. Rather than offering
only basic features, the Personal Health Record (PHR) should empower patients to
comprehensively manage their health information, incorporating data from hospitals and
information generated by the patients themselves. Possessing a PHR is vital for enhancing an
individual's overall health (Alanazi, et al., 2023). The crucial factor for ultimate success lies in
the patients' willingness to embrace and utilize the PHR as they actively engage in enhancing
their own healthcare and well-being (Noblin, et al., 2012).
Jeremiah 33:6 says, “Behold, I will bring to it health and healing, and I will heal them and reveal
to them abundance of prosperity and security” (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version,
2001). This verse aligns with the study, as the adoption of PHRs enables individuals to actively
participate in their healthcare, facilitating providers in addressing the holistic health of the
individual rather than focusing solely on a specific ailment. Providers embracing patient-centered
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care aim to involve patients in their healthcare, and PHRs serve as an excellent means to stay
connected with the patient.
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References
Alanazi, A., Alanazi, M., & Aldosari, B. (2023). Personal Health Record (PHR) Experience and
Recommendations for a Transformation in Saudi Arabia. Journal of Personalized
Medicine, 13(8), 1275. doi: 10.3390/jpm13081275. https://doi.org/10.3390/jpm13081275
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. (2001). https://esv.literalword.com
Noblin, A. M., Wan, T. T. H., & Fottler, M. (2012). The impact of health literacy on a patient's
decision to adopt a personal health record. Perspectives in Health Information
Management, 9(Fall), 1-13.
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