Expected functions and application of personal health records

Personal health records (PHR) are designed to share patient health information with individuals to facilitate self-health management, improve patient experiences, and achieve patient-centered care in the healthcare system. However, the function, information presentation, and applications of PHRs are not fully understood and required a comprehensive investigation specifically for understanding end-users' needs. An online survey study is conducted with college students to gather insightful into PHR usage expectations, experiences, and feedbacks from the students. The respondents also shared the advantages and disadvantages with their current PHR system experience. The results show respondent preferences for health information presentations and expectations about the content, such as care management plan, healthcare related information, and billing information. The results from this study can be used to develop a sustainable and meaningful PHR system to achieve a higher quality of patient-centered care.