The Quality of Health Care
Learning from Abroad: Lessons and Questions on Personal Health Records for National Policy
Research Report
Don Detmer, MD, MA, President and Chief Executive Officer, American Medical Informatics Association
Elaine Steen, MA, Policy Analyst, American Medical Informatics Association
March 2006
In light of the more advanced pace of HIT adoption in other countries, there are lessons to be learned from abroad. This study describes the status of PHR adoption in four English-speaking countries: Australia, Canada, England, and New Zealand. The authors conclude that, in general, the differences between the U.S. health care system and those in the nations studied, preclude wholesale borrowing of ideas and approaches. Nevertheless, they identify areas of common focus and shared purpose, including recognition of the need to improve health care quality and safety, the need for robust information infrastructures, and the importance of designing patient-centric systems. (67 pages)
Pub ID: 2006-10