GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Think of all the things you do online without giving it a second thought. You manage your bank account, send money to your creditors and even file your taxes online.

Now get ready for the next big thing: Your personal medical records online.

Doctors, hospitals and internet companies are developing Web portals so patients can log on and manage their own records.

Greenville Hospital System said it plans to launch a Personal Health Portal in the next three to five years. The portal will allow patients to view and manage their medical records from every GHS doctor and specialist who has ever treated them.

"This is a large undertaking when you consider that we have approximately 1.4 million patients that come through our doors each year," Doran Dunaway, Vice President of Information Services for GHS, said. "They have results that need to be reviewed and discussed with our physicians. So the more we push this out, they can make better heath care decisions and much better will be the health of the population of the Upstate."

Additionally, websites like Google Health and Microsoft HealthVault allow patients to build their own Personal Health Record, or PHR. Every ear ache, stomach virus and sore muscle you have ever had can be stored and shared with your doctor.

"If I could key in all my key medical data, wouldn't it be great if that data were in (the doctor's) hands already or available for his review so when we sit down for a 15-minute face-to-face that he's actually prepared for me with all of the stuff I've been tracking on my own before I went in," said Phil Yanov of the GSA Technology Council.

But while online medical records promise convenience, they also present a security risk. What if identity thieves find a way to hack in? Or what if sensitive medical data is shared with insurance companies?

"I personally would be fearful of that, because an insurance company would say, oh I see you were diagnosed with ABC. That means we're not going to give your coverage for ABC for the next two years until we're sure that that's gone," said Carin Slader of Medical Data Services.

At Parkside Pediatrics in Greenville County, patients enjoy many technological conveniences. A new web portal allows them to email doctors, schedule appointments and refill prescriptions.

But Dr. Stephen Jones says he is not comfortable with posting medical records online.

"Medical records are in a whole different category. I mean there's family history, there's history not only about the patient, but there's Mom and Dad. So much of our insurance system is tied to pre-existing conditions. I think before people buy into that, there's going to have to be a lot of security reassurance," Jones said.

But these concerns and others are being discussed as an increasing number of medical providers roll out patient web portals.

""We're going to absolutely love the convenience. And I think in the end, the convenience will probably trump what is a very legitimate privacy concern," Yanov said.

Links:

Google Health

Microsoft HealthVault

Example of a hospital web portal (Cleveland Clinic)

Web Portal for Parkside Pediatrics in Greenville County

Recent USA Today article on online medical records

Related article from WebMD.com