Personal medical record: Dominica’s low-tech, low-cost solution for a high-tech, high-cost problem

Abstract

The advantages of personal medical records in health maintenance and cost reduction have been well 
studied, and they are recommended as an integral part of health care management. Several Electronic 
Personal Medical Record (ePMR) systems have been developed, but their popularity and utility falls far 
short of expectations. Cost, confidentiality, and logistics are all problematic in implementing an acceptable 
ePMR system. Out of necessity, Dominica, an island nation in the eastern Caribbean, developed a manual 
Personal Health Record (mPMR), which effectively overcame all of the above problems. Some refinement of 
its current state will make it the most useful and cost effective system in certain places and an initial step 
while moving into an electronic phase. Dominica’s system may be adopted by smaller nations or small 
communities (as a unit) in larger countries at a fraction of the high-tech cost and administrative hassle.