AccessMyHealth.org, a partnership of patients and doctors convened by the Washington State Health Care Authority (HCA), has launched an expanded Web site where state residents can find out about how to better access their health care information with convenient, accessible and secure online personalized health records; and where they can register their opinions by taking short online surveys.

On the site (online at www.AccessMyHealth.org), all Washingtonians are encouraged to take two ten-minute surveys. The surveys are designed to encourage a broad cross-section of Washington citizens to offer their opinions about the concept of online health records, the features and benefits they would find worthwhile, and their thoughts about privacy and confidentiality issues when it comes to personal health information online.

AccessMyHealth.org is a great opportunity for Washingtonians to learn about the benefits of having their health information online “ in a very secure manner “ and to inform us of what they would find worthwhile, said Governor Chris Gregoire. The Evergreen State is taking a leadership role to learn from the prospective users of online health records, be they patients, doctors or consumers that are ready to take charge of their own health.

The AccessMyHealth.org Web site and surveys are part of a broader effort of the HCA to develop a strategy for adoption and use of online personalized health records in the state™s health care community.

We encourage anyone in the state of Washington to take our online surveys, said Wendy Carr, chair of AccessMyHealth.org. We™ve got the questions “ and Washingtonians have the answers. The state Legislature and the Health Care Authority are providing strong vision and creating opportunities to test the promise of personalized online health records. But to do it well, we

have to find out: What privacy and security measures are important to Washingtonians? How will doctors and patients benefit from such access?

By mid-August, the HCA is expected to announce that up to four collaborative community efforts in different regions of the state will be designated as demonstration projects. The grant awards “ to Washington-based not-for-profit organizations partnering with different online health record vendors “ will be used to create and explore the viability and value of personalized online health records. With a maximum grant award up to $600,000, the Health Care Authority will be able to closely test and monitor the usage and benefits of personalized online health records. The pilot projects will be operational from January 2009 through June 2009 and will be available on a pilot basis to thousands of Washingtonians in each region.

Using this new technology, patients will have the ability to view and share a copy of their health record “ without having to create from scratch mounds of information, prescriptions and medical information which is supplied by various health care sources. By having the ability to access and use their health information, patients could manage when, how and with whom they will share all or part of their health information.

To take two online surveys about online health records “ and give us your opinion “ please visit www.AccessMyHealth.org and click on Take a Survey in the upper right hand corner of the home page. AccessMyHealth.org will protect the privacy of everyone™s personal information to the full extent of the law; the organization will not share email addresses or other personal information with any other party for commercial purposes.