Four Million People Choose Connectivity and Convenience with Kaiser Permanente's Personal Health Record

OAKLAND, Calif., Aug. 6, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Kaiser Permanente announced today that 4 million members are engaging in their health through My Health Manager, the personal health record available on kp.org. The growing number of active users — 63 percent of Kaiser Permanente's eligible membership* — demonstrates that consumers find the organization's personal health record an effective, convenient and empowering way to manage their health.

"My Health Manager empowers members to take charge of their health, and our data show that they are doing just that," said George Halvorson, chairman and chief executive officer of Kaiser Permanente. "In the last six months, 67 percent of registered members signed on to My Health Manager two or more times. By revisiting the website, our members are getting a complete picture of their health past, so they can make the best health choices in the future."

Through My Health Manager, members can view their medical record, email their providers, check lab test results, order prescription refills, and manage appointments from their computers or handheld devices. In 2011 members signed on to My Health Manager more than 74 million times and took advantage of the website features in record numbers:

• 29.7 million lab results viewed online
• 12.2 million emails sent to providers
• 10 million prescriptions refilled
• 2.7 million appointments scheduled

My Health Manager also connects consumers to valuable health information on kp.org, including physician-approved information about lab tests, drugs and health conditions. In 2011 kp.org won an eHealthcare Leadership Gold Award for Best Health Content.

"With the help of consumer and physician feedback, My Health Manager has evolved to become one of the largest and most useful personal health records in the world," said Christine Paige, senior vice president for marketing and Internet services. "By combining vital personal health information with a great user experience, we're giving members what they need to take positive health action."

Most recently, Kaiser Permanente made My Health Manager securely available on mobile devices with a mobile-optimized website and iPhone and Android apps. Since its launch in late January, the mobile-optimized kp.org website has received more than 9.7 million visit sessions, accounting for 16 percent of total traffic to kp.org in the month of July. The health care organization's Android app has had more than 126,000 downloads since Jan. 24 and its iPhone app has had more than 109,000 downloads since May 8.

For patients like Cecilia Castillo, 29, of Canton, Ga., Kaiser Permanente's mobile tools make life easier and less stressful. A mother of three small boys, Castillo has a history of gestational diabetes. During her most recent pregnancy, she was able to check her test results from her iPhone no matter where she was during her busy day.

"It brought me peace of mind," she said. "I've had doctors before where I've had to wait for results for a long time. You sit there worrying and you get stressed out, and that just adds to everything else that you're worried and stressed out about. It really put my mind at ease to have easy and quick access to my lab results."

According to a 2011 Kaiser Permanente study, nine out of 10 patients with chronic conditions agreed the website enables them to more effectively manage their conditions. Patients also reported that the website helps them make informed decisions about their health and makes it more convenient for them to interact with their care teams. ­­

"We know that connecting patients to their doctors and health information and tools improves quality outcomes, patient satisfaction and patient empowerment," said Halvorson. "We will continue to support our members with innovative connectivity solutions."

A key differentiating feature of My Health Manager is its direct connection to Kaiser Permanente HealthConnect^®, one of the most robust and sophisticated electronic health records in the world. By providing consumers with access to the same clinical information their doctors see, and with unique tools to interact with their providers and health plan, My Health Manager allows patients to become more engaged in their own health care, going well beyond the standard PHRs populated solely by claims data.

My Health Manager is a free service available to all Kaiser Permanente members. Members can visit kp.org/register to sign up to activate and access their personal health records, then download the health management app on their iPhone or Android devices.

*Over the age of 13 with regular Internet access.

About Kaiser Permanente
Kaiser Permanente is committed to helping shape the future of health care. We are recognized as one of America's leading health care providers and not-for-profit health plans. Founded in 1945, our mission is to provide high-quality, affordable health care services and to improve the health of our members and the communities we serve. We currently serve more than 9 million members in nine states and the District of Columbia. Care for members and patients is focused on their total health and guided by their personal physicians, specialists and team of caregivers. Our expert and caring medical teams are empowered and supported by industry-leading technology advances and tools for health promotion, disease prevention, state-of-the-art care delivery and world-class chronic disease management. Kaiser Permanente is dedicated to care innovations, clinical research, health education and the support of community health. For more information, go to: www.kp.org/newscenter.

For information, contact:
Ravi Poorsina
510-421-0557
[email protected] 

Amanda Wardell
510-292-0758
[email protected]

SOURCE Kaiser Permanente