AARP launches online personal health record

AARP announced the release of an online personal health record (PHR) designed specifically for people over 50. The AARP Health Record, a joint venture between AARP and Microsoft Corp., will be offered free to AARP members.

Unlike a hospital-based or physician-based electronic health record, the AARP PHR will allow residents to enter their own medical information, such as family history, current medications, blood type, allergies, and other data. This information can be accessed by the patient or a designated user from any Internet connection.

The AARP Health Record also will tap into the vast resources of Microsoft’s HealthVault, including hundreds of health management applications designed to empower patients, such as tools for monitoring chronic conditions, tracking health goals and managing medications and pharmacy data.

The announcement was a formidable nod to the value of PHRs and their potential for encouraging wellness and health self-monitoring among seniors, as well as to the importance of an online repository that family members can use to help care for their aging parents.

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