Are You Ready to Manage Your Own Health Record?

More people should take control of their own personal health records

Last year, I had the misfortune to catch a virus that inflamed the lining of my heart and caused me to suffer with atrial fibrillation. The doctor in the A&E (accident and emergency department) explained it as the top half of my heart doing a fast samba, while the bottom half was doing a slower foxtrot. They decided that I needed to be transferred to the local cardiac specialist center, by an ambulance with flashing blue lights and sirens.

When I was safely strapped into the ambulance, they started asking me the usual questions; name, age, doctor, medications, medical history, etc. I gestured that I wanted my mobile phone. They suggested that now might not be the time to start calling my friends for a chat. I insisted on being given my iPhone. Eventually, they capitulated and gave it to me. I then went to my personal health record app (Wellnote, created by Professor Ara Darzi and a team of doctors from Imperial College Healthcare and Imperial College London). I opened it and showed them the wealth of information that I had input previously. My full medical history, most recent operations, medications – the lot!

They were speechless for a good 20 seconds. Then phrases like “I’ve never seen anything like this”, and “everything we need is on here” were murmured. I could shut my eyes and try to relax – no more annoying questions for me. When we arrived at the cardiac center, the receiving consultant started to ask the same litany of questions. The ambulance team gave him my phone, showed him the information on the app, and his jaw dropped too.

It amazed me that these professional healthcare staff had clearly not had this level of information presented to them before by a patient. In an age where we think nothing of managing our own bank accounts, travel bookings and online shopping orders, shouldn’t we start to take control of our health records too? The benefits to both patients and healthcare professionals are undeniable.

Download a personal health record app onto your phone and fill in the relevant information. It may prove to be a life saver for you in the future.