The globalization of health care is a theme I’ve brought up from time to time. So it’s no surprise that the globalization of personal health records (PHR) is receiving some attention. Prominent national health policy figure, Dr. David Nash, of Jefferson Medical College writes that he’s helping InterComponent Ware (ICW), a German e-health company, develop a global strategy for their PHR, “LifeSensor“. “The goal of our work” says Nash in the College’s Newsletter, “is not only to help ICW to break into the domestic US market, but rather to expand their world view, suggest a research agenda, and network internationally.”

He recognizes that there’s a lot of things to consider — cultural barriers, connectivity problems, how to measure ROI, and, of course, who will actually buy it. Will it be governments, employers, health plans? (note: no mention here of individual consumer purchasers.) In any event, he opines,

“Who knows, during my next trip to Germany sometime in the future, maybe there really will be a global PHR readily connected, as easily as the internet enables us to do email. Imagine falling ill in Europe and enabling your German primary care doctor to view all of your domestic records, labs and the like. I hope I will get to see this in my practice lifetime.”

It may take more than imagination and hope to get there. However, time will tell.

But his work overseas has convinced him, at least, of one thing. His epiphany? — “All politics are global! That’s right,” he says, “not local, global.” And therein, lies the challenge.