The largest insurance companies in the U.S. by the end of 2008 hope to double the number of people uploading their medical records online, a move that has sparked concern among privacy groups about security protections, the AP/San Jose Mercury News reports.
Aetna, one of the insurers that offers its customers personal health records, said privacy protections include a secure member login and registration Web site. Customers also can limit the amount of information in their records and not share certain portions of the PHRs with providers. Aetna also said PHRs use the same security technology as online banking.
Insurers hope the Web-based technology -- which allows physicians to record test results, immunizations, prescriptions and other medical data in the online database -- will help patients manage their own chronic illnesses.
Chronic illnesses have accounted for the largest cost increases during the past five years, according to Alissa Fox, vice president for legislative and regulatory policy for the BlueCross and BlueShield Association. The BCBS Association has made PHRs available to its members and the PHRs let patients provide information on over-the-counter drugs, insurance plans, family health histories and other data.
About 100 million insurance members have access to PHRs, although the companies do not know how many people are using them, the AP/Mercury News reports (Singer, AP/San Jose Mercury News, 6/10).