HHS Launches New Family Health History Initiative

U.S. Surgeon General Richard H. Carmona declared Thanksgiving Day, when American families traditionally gather to celebrate and give thanks, to be the first annual National Family History Day. Americans are encouraged to use their family gatherings as a time to collect important family health history information that can benefit all family members.

To help gather family history information, HHS released a new, free computer program that organizes important health information into a printout that can be taken to a health care professional to help determine whether a patient is at higher risk for disease. The printout can also be placed in a patient's medical record. The new computerized tool, called "My Family Health Portrait,"

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) operates a national database of medical practice guidelines, developed by independent medical and professional organizations, that can help individuals and their health care professionals to customize prevention programs. Family health history is one of the criteria for many of the practice guidelines, which frequently recommend specific medical testing to detect an illness early. The guidelines can be found at the National Guideline Clearinghouse. AHRQ is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

The "My Family Health Portrait" software can be downloaded from the Internet and installed on computers using the Windows operating system with the .NET framework installed.
All personal information entered into the program is maintained on the user's computer only; no information is available to the federal government or any other agency. The software will be available in both English and Spanish.

In addition to the software tool, a print version of "My Family Health Portrait" will be available in English and Spanish ( this is so exciting, we will also have this in Spanish!!) through the Federal Citizen Information Center and at consolidated health centers nationwide. Consolidated health centers provide care to patients regardless of their ability to pay. HHS' Health Resources and Services Administration funds the national network of more than 3,600 community health centers, migrant health centers, health care for the homeless centers, and public housing primary care centers.