Hospitals and doctors may not be adopting personal health records rapidly, but that hasn't stopped employers and individuals from embracing them. Some PHRs now are being paired with HR communication portals and online libraries of health information for workers.

High-tech company EMC, with 22,000 benefits-eligible U.S. employees, first implemented a personal health record in 2004. The PHR combines data sent by health plans to data warehouse manager Ingenix and also incorporates a partnership with WebMD to provide employees with added information on a variety of health care topics.

Each employee's PHR is web-based and entirely personalized with data that the employee enters or uploads. The PHR includes data from health risk assessments, inpatient visits, surgeries and prescription information. When multiple drugs with potentially dangerous interactions are prescribed, patients receive an electronic alert.

In the coming year, the PHR will be made portable, and biometric data will be included. In early 2009, lab test results will be added, as well as a section for imaging from X-rays or MRIs.

"We took a very strategic approach [to the issues of health care management,]" says Delia Vetter, senior director of benefits and programs for EMC, who estimates that implementing a PHR will take between three and five years for each employer as they gradually roll out new technology.

Vetter is quick to stress that the PHR is a tool to improve the overall health of a workplace and to make employees more educated consumers.

EMC already has seen a hard-dollar return on investment from the program. Its health care inflation trends are below the national average. They've also seen positive results from participation in a number of health-related studies.

"Shifting costs in the long term is not the answer to health care cost-containment, to patient safety, to quality of care and to managing the health of your workforce," Vetter says.

Other high-tech models for personal health records recently were launched by Microsoft, Triveris, MediKeeper and Revolution Health (for clients of the pharmacy benefit manager Medco).

Small-firm example

To educate workers about their benefits and health issues, the Jewish Community Center of Foster City, Calif., implemented Benergy's portal for employee communications and personal health records in September.

It includes a library of health information and tools that enable users to assess their health risks, evaluate treatment options and learn how to live healthier.

This database, maintained by A.D.A.M. Inc., houses thousands of articles that define a given condition, its causes, symptoms, treatments and more. These descriptions are written in plain terms, both in English and Spanish. The articles help people know when it is important to call a doctor and how to take better care of themselves.

The portal for employees also can contain:

• An individual's personal health record (privacy protected).
• HR updates.
• HR forms.
• Employee handbook.
• Benefits enrollment materials.
• Total compensation statement.
• Information on health and wellness programs at the worksite.
• Links and contact information for benefits vendors.

Gail Fivis, HR director for the JCC, says, "I love it. It's really one-stop shopping for the staff. It's very transparent. They see everything."

The communications portal saved her a lot of time because employees can typically find answers to their questions online.

"They like it because they know they can go there and get answers. It's such a wealth of information for them. It's very educational. It's very easy for the staff to use," Fivis explains.

Size doesn't matter

This type of portal isn't just for the jumbo-sized firms.

The JCC is relatively small, with 110 employees.

At small organizations, the HR and benefits work often falls to one person, so anything that saves time and limits confusion in the benefits communications is especially appreciated.

The portal is a "life management tool for the modern consumer who demands quick and easy access to resources to take care of their health, finances and work/life balance," says Kevin Noland, chief executive officer of A.D.A.M.

"Any company can affordably support its employees with the information and tools needed to make informed choices, while simultaneously achieving its human capital management goals."

It's a new standard, "especially for smaller employers that have not previously had access to high-quality, comprehensive solutions," he adds.

"A.D.A.M. has unique advantages in serving this small to midsize employer market because of our established distribution channel and Benergy's flexibility and scalability."

Likewise, employers of any size can implement a PHR for workers. Vetter says those looking into options should consider:

• Is your program high-touch? Communicate what you're doing before you do it, so employees don't get scared.
• Are you driving your programs with meaningful information from credible sources?
• Have you examined aggregate data to determine what your workforce needs?
• Are you maintaining a focus on health?
• Is your solution high-tech enough? Is it easy to use and portable? What options will you hope to add in the future?

It takes time for employees to learn and get used to the new tool, so don't expect immediate results, benefit managers say.

Download Robbins' "Five Minutes With ..." podcast with EMC's Delia Vetter at http://ebn.podhoster.com.