The Healthcare Information Management Systems Society (HIMMS) personal health record (PHR) steering committee has developed a definition and position statement for PHRs. In its position statement, the Chicago-based HIMSS supports the development of interoperable electronic PHRs that are interactive and use a common data set of electronic health information and e-health tools.

JoAnn Klinedinst, HIMSS senior director, healthcare information systems, said that the society champions the development of national standards to ease burdens placed on constituents due to variances in state law. In addition, she noted that development of national and uniform state standards would also address legal concerns raised by electronic PHRs such as reliability, reimbursement, ownership, access, transfer, and the limitations, rights and responsibilities of patient and provider for the use of e-health and electronic PHR.

The HIMSS PHR definition and position statement can be found at: http://www.himss.org/content/files/PHRDefinition071707.pdf.