National Medical Record Systems

Image Source: Networking Health: Prescriptions for the Internet
Committee on Enhancing the Internet for Health Applications:
National Research Council (2000)

Read "Your Health Data, Plugged In to the Web" by Catherine Rampell, The Washington Post, October 5, 2007.

Microsoft has launched a free, ad-supported, online health portal called HealthVault yesterday that allows people to upload their electronic medical records to the Web and share the information with doctors.

"HealthVault works as a sort of depository for medical data. Consumers can download records such as lab reports or X-rays from their health-care providers' Web sites, or data from digital devices such as glucometers, and enter it into their HealthVault account. All data are encrypted, and consumers can choose to send any of the information to other health-care providers, family members or even physical trainers."

Google and Steve Case's Revolution Health reportedly have been working on similar portals. In the United States, WebMD and Revolution Health, have already offered consumers online storage for health data. Revolution Health, started by AOL co-founder Case, also plans to allow users to download prescription records into their accounts through a partnership with Medco. The American Heart Association has a Blood Pressure Tracker and a High Blood Pressure Health Risk Calculator online.

"U.S. Outpaced by Medical-Record Projects Overseas" (Source: The Washington Post)

The United States lags behind some countries in creating a secure, electronic medical-record system. A look at state-run or state-sponsored programs in other nations:

Germany: The first country to begin development of a national health information technology network, Germany issues electronic health cards that carry names, dates of birth and insurance details. Prescriptions can be included on the card electronically. People can decide what, if any, personal medical information, such as drug allergies or chronic conditions, is stored on the cards.

Britain: The National Program for IT established an integrated health-care record service, an archiving system for X-ray and electronic scans and electronic appointment and prescription-transmission systems. In a typical day this year, the electronic patient registry received 1.4 million queries, the electronic appointment service made 16,000 bookings, the electronic picture archives stored 1 million digital images and 100,000 electronic prescriptions were transmitted.

Canada: Canada Health Infoway was launched in 2001 and is implementing the nationwide adoption of electronic health records, including a lifetime record of an individual's health and care history, including lab and radiology test results, past treatments, and prescription and immunization information. The organization expects to have electronic health records for half of the population by the end of 2009.

Norway: Electronic patient records that document patient X-rays, lab results and other information have been widely used for many years. All of the country's hospitals have installed electronic systems, but patient records are not yet comprehensive, easily exchangeable or accessible to patients.