Though frequently used interchangably Electronic Health Records (EHR) and Personal Health Records (PHR) generally refer to two different, if inextricably related concepts. Electronic Health Records generally refers to a systematic electronic records storage system wherein health professionals store their patient's medical histories. Personal Health Records, on the other hand, are a subset of EHR referring to an electronic storage system that allows patients to store and maintain their own medical records. The difference then, between EHR and PHR can easily be summed up as a distinction of ownership. Below are a series of selected links to more in-depth information about EHR and PHR.

Personal Health Records (PHR)

• An overview from MEDLINEPlus
• PHR - a selected bibliography
• PHR - a sleected bibliography from various journals (pdf)
• Personal Health Records, 63 citations & selected new items - compiled in 2007 by Catherine Selden and Marcia Zorn, National Library of Medicine (reproduced by permission) (pdf)
• HealthVault - a PHR database
• Google Health ( in development PHR database): first look
• Google Chairman/CEO Eric Schmidt's keynote speech at Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society Annual Conference (Orlando, FL - 2/28/2008)

Electronic Health Records (EHR)

• EHR articles from PubMed (5 years/core clinical journals)
• Resources discussed at 2006 Medical Library Assocation Meeting - plenary session on EHR