Electronic Health Record (EHR) is the digital record of a patient’s medical history. The EHR contains the patient’s admission reports, their vital signs, progress notes, diagnoses, medications, allergies, lab data, and reports, and other details include demographic and insurance data.
The formal definition for EHR issued by the National Alliance for Health Informatics Technology (2008) states that it is a record of health-related information on an individual, that conforms to nationally recognized interoperability standards. EHR’s can be created, managed, and consulted by authorized clinical staff from more than one healthcare organization.
The EHR records help to build a strong bond between the clinical professionals and the patients and this can be an important step in the progress of healthcare. Let’s focus on some of the important benefits that EHR provides:
Core EHR Functions:
The Institute of Medicine in the year 2003, announced the eight-core functions for a fully working EHR. The following 8 core EHR functions universally defined and need to be carried out effectively to maintain the accurate records int the health systems about each person.
• Health information and data
• Result management
• Order management
• Decision support
• Electronic communication and connectivity
• Patient support
• Administrative processes and reporting
• Reporting and population health
The major goals specified in the Health Information Technology for Economic (HITECT) ACT for the EHR were:
• Improving overall quality, safety, and efficiency of care while reducing disparities.
• Engaging patients and families in their advanced digital care.
• Promoting public and population health on the go.
• Improving care coordination, and thereby promoting the privacy and security of EHRs.