Supporting medical research on chronic diseases using integrated health monitoring platform

This paper describes combined experiences in developing e-Health platforms and services with respect of supporting medical research into the causes and relationships among physiological parameters and health problems concerning different chronic diseases, from cardiovascular to stroke, epilepsy, and others. The Personal Health Records (PHR) is presented as new technological approaches aimed at standardizing electronic management of medical information between the patient and its physicians, as well as among medical organizations collaborating in providing integrated medical care services. We describe roles and aims behind electronic health recording, follow with applicable legal and standardizations frameworks and European activities in this area, leading towards introduction to most common commercial as well as open-source implementations of such systems and concluding with indication of specific adaptations enabling the use of stored personal health data for scientific research into causes and evaluation of chronic illnesses. We also describe ethical and privacy concerns that are relevant to using and exchanging electronic health information.