Employer-Led Initiative Aims to Drive Adoption of Electronic Portable Personal Health Records

Strategic Insights -

A coalition of five large employers has launched an initiative to give employees electronic portable personal health records through a Web-based framework called Dossia, aiming to empower consumers and reduce medical costs. The initiative, backed by companies such as Wal-Mart, Intel, and BP America, has the potential to revolutionize the way patients interact with their healthcare providers. The employers believe that by providing employees with access to their electronic health records, they can help patients better manage their care and make more informed decisions about their health.

Key Takeaways:

  • The employer-led initiative aims to provide employees with electronic portable personal health records through a Web-based framework called Dossia, with a minimum investment of $5 million from the participating employers.
  • The initiative is expected to launch in mid-2007, with other employers being invited to join the coalition.
  • Intel Chair Craig Barrett stated that the employers want to get a more effective return on their investment in healthcare and help employees better manage their care.
  • Barrett emphasized that the employers do not intend to penalize doctors who do not access and update workers' PHRs, instead relying on employees to demand best practices from their physicians.
  • Industry observers believe that the initiative may set the stage for employers to require doctors to adopt electronic records and prescribe electronically in order to do business with them.
  • The Dossia PHR initiative views empowering consumers as a key aspect of the program, although some industry experts question whether employers have the leverage to force doctors to adopt new technologies.
  • Doctors do not need an electronic medical record (EMR) to enter information in a patient's PHR, just a computer, an Internet connection, and the patient's permission.
  • The American Medical Association (AMA) supports the adoption of electronic medical records (EMRs) and personal health records (PHRs), but does not support mandates on doctors to utilize these technologies.

Statistics:

  • The minimum investment from participating employers is $5 million.
  • The initiative is expected to launch in mid-2007.
  • Medical costs are rising faster than inflation, and employers pay half the cost of the total health insurance in the country.
  • The consumer is expected to drive changes in healthcare practices, with 85% of patients reporting that they would choose a doctor based on their ability to access their medical records online (Towers Perrin, as cited in the article).
  • Most PHRs, including Dossia, are Internet-based, and doctors can enter information in a patient's PHR without requiring an EMR.

Sources:

  • Tyler Chin, AMNews staff (not available, as the article was published in the American Medical News in 2007).
  • Wal-Mart Stores (as cited in the article).
  • Intel (as cited in the article).
  • BP America (as cited in the article).
  • Pitney Bowes (as cited in the article).
  • Applied Materials (as cited in the article).
  • Omnimedix Institute (www.omnimedix.org, as cited in the article).
  • Risk Management Partners LLC (as cited in the article).
  • Towers Perrin (as cited in the article).
  • American Medical Association (www.ama-assn.org, as cited in the article).
  • Dossia (www.dossia.org, as cited in the article).