The Difference Between EMR and EHR

As of 2021, nearly 4 in 5 office physicians work through electronic health records (EHR). EHR systems also serve 96% of all non-federal acute care hospitals. To keep up with the growing needs of patients, healthcare providers across the country now operate through these systems.
This pillar in the healthcare industry is often used with electronic medical records (EMR). While both of these systems provide similar benefits, they are not the same. Both offer the option of a digital version of the once-traditional paper chart. They also both help to manage patients’ health outlooks. As well as provide a secure environment to transmit protected health information (PHI). So what’s the significance of knowing the difference between them?
Let’s take a look at what exactly these medical systems are, their different components, and the benefits that come with them.
[EMR]
EMR has actually been around longer as a term than EHR. EMRs are digital versions of patient health information, charts, notes, and so on. A physician uses this data to help diagnose and treat their patients. All while keeping this information safe within the practice. That’s right, this technology is only useful for a single physician. If there is a need to send PHI to another practice, EMR technology is not equipped to handle this transfer.
Some examples of the clinical data found in electronic records might include:
* Demographics.
* Progress notes.
* Problems.
* Medications.
* Vital signs.
* Past medical history.
* Immunizations.
* Laboratory data and radiology reports.
EMRs allow healthcare organizations to hold significant advantages in their day-to-day practice. The service allows professionals to track data over time. It also allows for better identification of which patients require which services. Services might include wellness checks, or even preventative screenings, aiding in prevention efforts. Tracking data over time is another helpful tool in the EMR toolbelt. Being able to see differences in a patient’s blood pressure reading throughout time, for example, can help catch early signs of disease.
EMR monitors and improves the quality of care given within the practice, but what about communication between different practices?
[EHR]
EHR shares similarities with EMR, but we already know that. This service also translates physical notes and data into a more convenient digital format. Just like EMR, this system contains information such as demographics, medications, vital signs, and so on. However, this PHI is available to multiple providers.
EHR allows more than one physician or organization to maintain and adjust a single patient’s medical records. From billing information to lab results, if a specialist needs to view a patient’s history, EHR allows for easy access. Of course, there is still an emphasis on security when working with this sort of software. For a physician or another professional to gain access, just like EMR, they will need to go through identity verification.
The future of healthcare technology looks bright and exciting, with medtech such as AI on the horizon. While we continue to test the capabilities of EMR and EHR to provide more compelling services, keep in mind that we are nowhere near its full potential.
Continuing to upgrade both of these systems will benefit both patients and professionals greatly. Specifically, it will ease some of the stress put on healthcare workers as their workload becomes busier and busier. Through the development, deployment, and delivery of these services, physicians are able to meet the needs of their patients with more accuracy and understanding.
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