Functions of an electronic health record.

The functionality of a personal electronic health record (EHR) may vary from a simple web-based interface for interactive data entry and data review up to a much more powerful system, additionally supporting electronic data/document communication between clinical information systems of primary care practitioners or hospitals, and even reminder-based support for the empowered citizen to actively take care of his/her health, based on relevant disease management programs. It is a means of supporting patient empowerment. Since storage and communication of data in an EHR involves sensitive personal health data, it is necessary to implement specific security and access management requirements for each of these functions.