CMS on Wednesday announced that later this month it will launch an 18-month pilot project to determine which personal health record tools and features Medicare beneficiaries find the most useful, AHA News reports.
Medicare will work on the pilot in conjunction with four health plans:
- HIP USA;
- Humana;
- Kaiser Permanente; and
- University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (AHA News, 6/20).
Each plan will offer a unique PHR that will allow beneficiaries to look up information about their medications and medical conditions to help them manage their care,
Modern Healthcare reports. Beneficiaries will own their PHR and determine with whom to share it (Robeznieks,
Modern Healthcare, 6/20).
The PHRs will contain patients' medical conditions, hospitalizations, doctor visits and medications,
United Press International reports. The records automatically will be updated with Medicare data, and beneficiaries will be able to add other information.
At the conclusion of the 18-month pilot, Medicare will compile information on which features beneficiaries prefer and how to encourage them to use PHRs (
United Press International, 6/20).