Quick Summary
Patient portals are valuable—but they aren’t Personal Health Records. Keep your portal logins for each hospital, then build a PHR you control to unify everything, add plain‑language explanations, track trends, and share safely with consent links.
Portal vs PHR (at a glance)
| Patient Portal | Personal Health Record (PHR) | |
|---|---|---|
| Owner | Hospital / clinic | You (the patient) |
| Scope | One institution’s data | All providers + your uploads |
| Access | One login per portal | One place, portable |
| Sharing | Limited, inside the system | Consent links you control |
| Insights | Basic viewing | AI summaries, abnormal flags, trends |
Overview of PHRs: Mayo Clinic · Standards: FHIR
A simple workflow that works in real life
- Download from your portal(s) as PDF: latest labs, imaging summaries, meds list.
- Add to your PHR (upload or connect if supported).
- Label + date (e.g., “Lipid panel — June 2025”).
- Get a plain‑language summary and note questions for your next visit.
- Share selectively with consent links; revoke after the visit.
- Track trends (A1c, LDL, hemoglobin). One result is a moment. A timeline is a story.
The India angle: ABHA + PHR
India’s ABHA (Ayushman Bharat Health Account) and the ABDM rails help move data between systems. A PHR makes that data usable—summaries, trends, and shareable context for families and clinicians.
Privacy and control
- Encryption in transit and at rest
- Consent‑based sharing links (not email attachments)
- Revocation and access logs
- HIPAA/GDPR‑aligned practices; see Privacy Policy
Try Aether (iOS)
- Upload a PDF → get a plain‑language summary
- See abnormal values at a glance
- Track trends across years
- Share safely, revoke anytime
Related reading
FAQ
Is a patient portal a PHR?
No. Portals show one institution’s data. A PHR is controlled by you and combines records from anywhere.
Will my doctor accept a PHR?
Organized context saves time—most clinicians appreciate it, especially for complex histories.
Can I use this with ABHA?
ABHA provides the rails for exchange. Your PHR makes that data usable with summaries, trends, and consent‑based sharing.
Use your portal for access; use your PHR for understanding. Together, they’re powerful.