South Korea’s Ministry of Health and Welfare has announced the official launch of My HealthWay, a national platform that serves as a “health information highway” for individuals’ personal health records. The platform aggregates health information from various sources and provides individuals with a single view of their data. With their consent, individuals can store and transfer their health data. Previously, patients in South Korea could only access limited health information, but now they can access 113 items of health information, including surgery reports and pathology test results, from different health facilities all in one place. The expanded access was made possible by connecting data from around 860 medical facilities.
The launch of My HealthWay is part of the Digital Platform Government initiative and follows a successful pilot program involving 245 health facilities. The platform received positive feedback from participants, with many finding it helpful when moving across health facilities and managing their own health and the health of their loved ones. The majority of respondents expressed their intention to use the platform in the future. To ensure the security of personal health records (PHRs), the National Information Resources Service is working on enhancing the system’s security to prevent hacking and leaks.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare aims for My HealthWay to empower South Korean individuals’ right to their health information and hopes that it will support the adoption of an active and healthy lifestyle. The platform’s launch is a significant step towards providing individuals with comprehensive access to their health data, improving healthcare management, and enhancing the overall healthcare experience in South Korea. Future plans include connecting more hospitals and clinics to MyHealthWay to further expand the availability of health information.