What happens when patients lead the way in reimagining healthcare? In British Columbia, the Rural Personal Health Record (rPHR) project is answering that question with bold action and community-driven solutions.
This new video, co-produced with rural patients and the RCCbc’s PHR team, captures the power of the rPHR—a tool designed to unify fragmented systems and empower patients to take control of their health stories. At the heart of the project is a commitment to patient leadership, ensuring that solutions reflect the lived experiences of rural, remote, and Indigenous communities.
Bridging the Gaps in Healthcare
Picture a rural patient who interacts with multiple healthcare systems: travelling between regions for specialist appointments, attending virtual care visits, and seeking urgent care while far from home. Their health information might be stored across various platforms.
Patients may struggle to piece together their full medical history, leading to gaps, duplicate testing, or delays in care.
The rPHR project envisions a future where patients can access their health records in one unified system. This would allow them to:
- Confidently manage their health information without juggling multiple platforms.
- Share records with caregivers and providers, fostering team-based care.
- Ensure continuity of care when travelling or accessing services across regions.
It’s a vision that builds on the progress already made in B.C., while addressing critical gaps in portability and integration.
Patient Leadership at the Forefront
This initiative isn’t just about technology—it’s about people. The rPHR project is guided by a growing team of providers and patients whose lived experiences shape the design and priorities. Their voices are elevating the conversation around what a personal health record should look like.
“A personal health record in BC has the potential to transform healthcare in ways we can only achieve by dreaming together and acting with purpose. This project is about empowering patients, connecting communities, and creating a system where everyone, no matter where they live, can take charge of their health story.”
— Dr. Anthon Myer, Project Lead
Building on Strengths, Addressing Gaps
Portals like Health Gateway and regional systems are starting to increase access to health information. Our personal health record (rPHR) envisions taking patient access and integration further by:
- Fostering direct patient-care team connections: Empowering patients to interact with their care teams and improve communication.
- Encouraging active participation in care: Supporting patients to engage across the healthcare system, enhancing outcomes.
- Putting patients first: Prioritizing user needs through patient-driven design and preferences ensuring the PHR meets real-world expectations.
- Offering portability and offline functionality: Creating a record that travels with patients wherever they go—even without an internet connection.
- Preventing gaps in care: Enabling greater integration between systems for a more cohesive care experience.
- Driving health information interoperability: Informing system-wide efforts to build a resilient and efficient digital healthcare ecosystem.
This project moves us closer to a healthcare system that works for everyone, regardless of location.
Join the rPHR Initiative
Are you passionate about healthcare transformation? The rPHR project thrives on collaboration, and we invite patients, providers, and community members to help make this vision a reality.
Explore Partnership Opportunities and Learn More >
Together, we can create a healthcare system where patients are empowered, communities are connected, and no one is left behind.
