USING PERSONAL HEALTH STORES: GERALD’S STORY

Personal online health stores allow NHS patients, and the people supporting them, to stay informed – with a single source of truth that’s updated in real-time.

Using XFORM and technologies like Solid Pods and verifiable credentials that enable decentralized identity, gives patients control over their own health data. This means they can easily share it with those they trust, including healthcare professionals, who can then access a patient’s health history when they need it. Joining up siloed data sources with patient controlled personal online data stores (pods), means no information gets lost, data stays up-to-date, and ultimately care and health outcomes are improved.

This is Gerald’s journey; a 70 year old whose GP visits have increased regularly. Sophie, his daughter who lives nearby, accompanies him to appointments and collects his prescriptions. For Tom, his son who lives much further away, it is important for him to stay informed about his father’s health. Gerald opts to give both his children access to his NHS personal health store, so they can see all of his medical information in one place. This means both Sophie and Tom can stay up to date with Gerald’s appointments, GP notes and medication, as well as real time data from his blood oxygen meter and his Apple watch. This is particularly useful, as Gerald often forgets details from his appointments.

After a fall, Gerald gets taken to A&E. The dispatcher uses Gerald’s NHS data health store record to brief the paramedic on Gerald’s medical history. Once at hospital, doctors use his profile to gain more insights into Gerald’s personal and medical health, allowing them to offer better care. Community practitioners, who will support Gerald after his discharge, have access to all the information they need for his recovery. All the while, his family are kept notified of his location and condition so that Tom can stay informed, and Sophie can focus on offering Gerald the support he needs, without worrying about relaying medical info to other family members.