Use of personal health records during and after a disaster including a nuclear accident: A scoping review

Abstract

This review assessed the use of personal health records (PHRs) during and after disasters, identifying benefits, barriers, and contributions to their use.A literature search using PubMed and Scopus was conducted, focusing on articles examining PHR use during and after a disaster including a nuclear power plant accident.The study found that PHRs were commonly used in various disasters, often one month after the disaster. The objectives of their use included building new systems for disaster management and identifying problems during the disaster response. Barriers to PHR use included quality-related issues, such as data on regular quality maintenance, and cost factors for development and maintenance. PHRs were essential for identifying healthcare needs, managing patient care, tracking survivors, and collecting health data in the affected areas.Given the difficulty of establishing a new PHR system immediately after a disaster, PHRs should be integrated into existing systems before a disaster occurs. Integrating PHRs with national identification systems and including comprehensive health data have the potential to improve emergency medical intervention as well as general health status.In the future, PHRs may need to be able to engage users in healthcare during both normal and disaster times.However, several limitations exist in PHR use, including language barriers, and difficulties in obtaining patient consent for PHRs, which may limit the prevalence and effectiveness of PHRs themselves. Finding a balance between privacy and urgency regarding patient information is important to overcome the problems.