Digital tools like smartphone applications and wearable health devices support people to play a greater role in their own care and that of others. Personal health records (PHRs) allow users to store information about their health online, to view records held by healthcare services and to add their own information. PHRs have the potential to help people manage their well-being, improve patient care and provide new ways to offer care. This article describes the benefits that PHRs bring to healthcare, their challenges and the practical steps for establishing a PHR platform to connect neurologists with their patients, based on 4 years of PHR experience in our neurology unit.