MyPHR

The Personal Health Record (PHR) is a tool that allows individuals to take an active role in managing their health by allowing them to collect, track and share past and current information about their health.  A PHR contains health information which has been compiled and maintained by that individual. 

MyPHR is a public awareness campaign initiated by AHIMA to educate the public on the importance of accessing, managing and protecting their personal health information.  Health information management professionals have the ideal background to bring this important message to the health care consumer. 

MaHIMA's MyPHR Community Education Coordinator, Marianne Garfi, RHIA, CCS-P, has been specially trained through AHIMA to train other HIM professionals in Massachusetts to provide consumer presentations on the use of personal health records (PHR).  This initiative will promote the HIM profession while helping to improve patient access to health information.

To date, over 30 HIM professions have been trained in Massachusetts.  Here is what some are saying about the experience:

"My-PHR is an opportunity to share our knowledge with the public and advance our profession.  In making people aware of this information we are, as AHIMA says, "caring for their health by caring for their health information."  If each of us sponsored only one informational session, think about how many people we could affect!"
      Nancy E. Earnley, RHIA
      Director, Health Information Management, Joslin Clinic

"My-PHR is a great opportunity for HIM professionals to promote the field and educate the public on who we are and what we do."
      Yolette Lecorps, RHIT
      Medical Records Manager/Privacy Officer, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

"The My-PHR training was well organized and AHIMA provided all the materials necessary to make an effective presentation."
      Meredith Cameron, RHIA
      Director, Medical Records, New England Baptist Hospital

"This is a wonderful opportunity to share our knowledge and talents within our communities and focus on the benefits of creating and maintaining a PHR."
     Karen B. Griffin
     Manager, Health Information Services, Correspondence and Review, Brigham and Women's Hospital

Presentations on MyPHR are available free of charge to community groups, volunteer organizations, and schools. 

Click here for an informational letter on MyPHR to hand out to your community. 

For additional information on how you can get involved as a MyPHR presenter, or to schedule a health information management professional to speak on the maintenance of personal health information, please contact Marianne Garfi,  MyPHR Community Advocate – Massachusetts at Info@mahima.org

To learn more on the myPHR educational campaign, please visit http://www.myphr.com/