Electronic Patient Health Records (ePHRs) contain information created, accessed, monitored and maintained by patients. This paper describes how an ePHR called myhealthlocker™ was used by people with severe mental illness to monitor and input their own health-related outcomes, and whether they derived any benefit from it.
Method
Individuals using local secondary mental health services were provided with access to myhealthlocker, an ePHR which allowed them to monitor their health and input information from Patient Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs) across to their clinical record. Participants were given support to use myhealthlocker through drop-in sessions facilitated by an Occupational Therapist. Usage of the site was monitored over time. Surveys and interviews were used to investigate what participants thought about the intervention.
Results
32 of 58 participants used the ePHR (where usage was defined by logging in at least twice and completing a PROM). Almost all participants who used the site had been referred from community rather than inpatient services. Of those who used the site, 26 out of 32 used it primarily or exclusively through supported drop-in sessions. Almost half of those participants who used the site had used it outside the drop-in sessions. Those who used the site found it useful (n = 32), and most said they would continue to use it (n = 27). There were no apparent differences in usage across gender, diagnosis, and length of service use history. Suggestions for improvement included a social networking component, and finding ways to engage clinicians. In particular, users valued the ability to monitor health outcomes over time.
Conclusions
People with severe mental illness were able to use an ePHR and derive benefit from monitoring and inputting PROMs. Those who use the site are more likely to have been referred from community mental health services, and then supported to access the ePHR.
Keywords: Personal health record; Self-monitoring; Self-management; e-health; Patient reported outcome measures
They’ve tried. It didn’t catch on. RFID chips don’t hold that much data yet. We all carry cell phones and they can be triangulated. So what’s the difference anyway?
I’m now on the fourth set of microchips in my left shoulder. Cardiac pacemaker. The most grief this has ever caused me is by pacemaker #2 making it clear that I was exercising too much in defiance of doctor’s orders. Pacemaker #4 tattles on me not exercising enough.
We’ve had working computerized health records here in Canada for some time. It saves me having to repeat my long and convoluted cardiac history every time I get a new family doctor, which is an annual event in a small town. I am grateful for this.
You folks are letting your paranoia get the best of you. Chillax!
All of it. I’m on my fourth pacemaker. Got the first when I was 12. I’m 46 now. The batteries last between 7-12 years depending on the model. I’m due for a new one next spring. They replace the entire unit when the batteries are shot.
Pacemaker No. 1 kept my heart at a steady 70BPM. Not at all helpful in Jr. High to not be able to do any sort of aerobic activity because your heart doesn’t respond to it. Fantastic way to get your ass beat on by douchebag jocks, however.
No. 2 read around the heart block and varied my heart rate according to exercise level, which I decided to test out the first week out of hospital. It also had a multi-blocking mode that stepped my heart down after a certain amount of time to prevent damage. I didn’t know about that and passed out while running up a hill. They read the pacemaker stats at the clinic after and asked me to explain my activity level I had engaged in while still having stitches in my chest and being told to take it easy.
No. 4 charted activity so low that a tech embarrassed me by commenting on it.
I do find the computerized records to be handy. I’m a former IT guy so I don’t worry about tech so much. My life is mostly boring – anyone spying on me will probably fall asleep.
Pixel you have had an interesting life I hope if you have an implant chip they are not causing your mental condition. Just saying. No chips are to be trusted.
I would have been dead by now if not for them, so the value proposition still works even if they are making me nutz, which I rather doubt. I had a LOT of delusions about alien tech based on this, however, which didn’t help!
Thinking my problems are more due to:
Genetics
Mother who was a pharma test pig while pregnant (drug user)
Family history of mental illness
Prodigious abuse of booze/weed/Bennies
Being born with my horseshoe lodged in someone else’s ass (lotsa bad luck).
I’ve been active on Facebook, Twitter, and my blog this week. Had an interview of me viewed by thousands of people. I don’t think they need to implant a chip to surveil me.