A study in the journal Canadian Family Physician found that family physicians like the perceived benefits of Personal Health Records (PHRs), but still have some serious questions about them, according to an article on Information Week HealthCare.

Primary care physicians like the potential benefits of PHRs such as making healthcare data more portable and opening up communications channels with patients, but they still have plenty of questions about the security of the data, increased workloads, and how PHRs might change their relationships with patients. The physicians surveyed feel that ” the technology needs to be integrated with electronic health records, easy to use, and add value to family practice before doctors will consider bringing PHRs into their practices.”

In their study, researchers at the University of Western Ontario in London, Ontario, reported that

Physicians generally believe that PHR adoption is inevitable. However, participants consistently raised concerns about data management, changes to the patient-physician relationship, and practice management issues. These concerns were the three key barriers to the implementation and adoption of PHRs.