Can EMR Improve Physician Efficiency?

EMR (electronic medical records) is in existence for years, however, it is only recently that this technology has started gaining popularity across the entire US healthcare industry. The pressure on the US healthcare industry is rising persistently for want of more quantity and better quality of patient service.

EMR seems to be an answer to the growing pressure across the healthcare industry. The EMR software ensures to streamline the overall back end process of clinics as well as hospitals. It is believed by industry experts that EMR can not only save time, cut down on costs but at the end will benefit patients by improving the quality of patient service.

Looking into a large no. of advantages that EMR implementation can deliver; US government is keen on implementing EMR software across the entire healthcare industry. President Obama has also set aside a large portion of the American Reinvestment Act for electronic medical records.EMR

Is there any difference between EMR and EHR?

Electronic medical records (EMR / EHR) are the hot buzz-words these days as physicians are now heavily encouraged to switch from paper to electronic based systems. The two terms (EMR / EHR) are used interchangeably, however, there is size-able difference between the two terms. 

The NAHIT has provided the following definitions for EMR and EHR:

EMR: The electronic record of health-related information on an individual that is created, gathered, managed, and consulted by licensed clinicians and staff from a single organization who are involved in the individual’s health and care.

EHR: The aggregate electronic record of health-related information on an individual that is created and gathered cumulatively across more than one health care organization and is managed and consulted by licensed clinicians and staff involved in the individual’s health and care.

By these definitions, an EHR is an EMR with interoperability (i.e. integration to other providers’ systems). In other words, EMR is at micro level (single provider) where as EHR is a wider macro level concept (multiple providers / medical setups). So, yes, the difference between “electronic medical records” and “electronic health records” is just one word. But in that word there is a world of difference.