After all, much of the value derived from the health care delivery system results from the effective communication of information from one party to another and, ultimately, the ability of multiple parties to engage in interactive communication of information. Health care is a team effort, and shared information supports that effort. Because when information is shared in a secure way, it becomes more powerful. Indeed, that is an explicit expectation in the Stage 1 definition of “ meaningful use” of EHRs.Īnd that makes all the difference. In comparing the differences between record types, HIMSS Analytics stated that, “The EHR represents the ability to easily share medical information among stakeholders and to have a patient’s information follow him or her through the various modalities of care engaged by that individual.” EHRs are designed to be accessed by all people involved in the patients care- including the patients themselves. The information moves with the patient-to the specialist, the hospital, the nursing home, the next state or even across the country. The National Alliance for Health Information Technology stated that EHR data “can be created, managed, and consulted by authorized clinicians and staff across more than one healthcare organization.” They are built to share information with other health care providers, such as laboratories and specialists, so they contain information from all the clinicians involved in the patient’s care. EHRs are designed to reach out beyond the health organization that originally collects and compiles the information. EHRs focus on the total health of the patient-going beyond standard clinical data collected in the provider’s office and inclusive of a broader view on a patient’s care. In that regard, EMRs are not much better than a paper record.Įlectronic health records (EHRs) do all those things-and more. In fact, the patient’s record might even have to be printed out and delivered by mail to specialists and other members of the care team. Monitor and improve overall quality of care within the practiceīut the information in EMRs doesn’t travel easily out of the practice.Check how their patients are doing on certain parameters-such as blood pressure readings or vaccinations.Easily identify which patients are due for preventive screenings or checkups.
An EMR contains the medical and treatment history of the patients in one practice. In contrast, “ health” relates to “The condition of being sound in body, mind, or spirit especially…freedom from physical disease or pain…the general condition of the body.” The word “health” covers a lot more territory than the word “medical.” And EHRs go a lot further than EMRs.Įlectronic medical records (EMRs) are a digital version of the paper charts in the clinician’s office. The EMR term came along first, and indeed, early EMRs were “ medical.” They were for use by clinicians mostly for diagnosis and treatment. While it may seem a little picky at first, the difference between the two terms is actually quite significant. But here at the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC), you’ll notice we use electronic health record or EHR almost exclusively. Some people use the terms “electronic medical record” and “electronic health record” (or “EMR” and “EHR”) interchangeably. What’s in a word? Or, even one letter of an acronym?
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