HIPAA and PHRs

HIPAA mandates that patients can access their medical records:

“Patients must be able to see and get copies of their records, and request amendments.”

Source: Department of Health and Human Services. Standards for Privacy of Individually Identifiable Health Information. Billing Code 4150-04M. Federal Register, Dec 28, 2000, pp 82461–82829 (45 CFR Parts 160–164).

However, it does not specify the manner in which this access is given, so most patients must visit the medical records departments of caregivers to obtain paper copies of their charts. (Source: Early experiences with personal health records.)