Enablers for Patients to Adopt Web-Based Personal Health Records (PHR)

This study analyzed what are enablers to adopt web-based Personal Health Records (PHR) from patients' perspective while many studies are conducted from providers' perspective. Patients may consider Perceived Value of Information, Perceived Worthwhileness of Searching, Privacy, Information Trust, and Security before adopting web-based PHR. By using HINTS (Health Information National Trends Survey), this study found out that Perceived Value of Information is the most critical enabler for patients to adopt web-based PHR. Privacy, Information Trust, and Security are also enablers to adopt web-based PHR. But, Perceived Worthwhileness of Searching is not statistically significant to explain adoption of web-based PHR. However, Perceived Value of Information is strong antecedent of Perceived Worthwhileness of Searching. Based on this study, patients are more likely to adopt web-based PHR when they realize that web-based PHR provides valuable and reliable information with protecting privacy and security.