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Electronic Medical Record (EMR)
Medical Technology Meets Information Technology
| Description: | The electronic medical record (EMR), also known as the electronic health record or electronic patient record, has been the goal of medical professionals for decades. The EMR has at its heart, the concept of storage of data – that is, automatically storing each symptom, sign, result and assessment for every patient. Additionally, the EMR promises to improve workflow – the process of moving patients, resources, and information throughout the healthcare continuum. In hospitals, doctors’ offices and insurance companies, an EMR can increase patient safety by consolidating all patient information in one record; streamline administrative and patient care activities; improve documentation by accurately capturing information necessary for insurance reimbursement, resulting in fewer denials and underpayments; and empower medical professionals to securely and efficiently share patient information where and when it is needed. Making this information available at the physician's fingertips holds great promise for improving efficiency in healthcare. |
| Topic: | Hundreds of interpretations of the EMR have been built, but until recently, the lack of standardization and technical infrastructure has not allowed much progress. Further complicating matters, to be successful, the EMR must be universal – otherwise, with disparate systems, patient information cannot be shared between hospitals and payers, primary care centers and acute care facilities, and so on. A national, standardized EMR holds huge promise for the average patient. For example, you become sick while on vacation, far from your hometown doctor. You could directly benefit from information sharing via an EMR. Your clinical and insurance records can follow you wherever you go, eliminating the need for frantic phone calls to track down information in an emergency situation. Moreover, a workflow-driven EMR can monitor the individual tasks required for your care, and alert the healthcare provider as to any deviations that could impact safety or efficiency. |
| Expert: | Don Rucker[70 KB], M.D., vice president and chief medical officer, Siemens Medical Solutions; M.B.A. and M.S. in medical computer science, Stanford University Gail Latimer[264 KB], M.S.N., R.N. chief nursing officer, Siemens Medical Solutions; master’s degree in nursing administration, Indiana University of Pennsylvania; bachelor’s degree in nursing, Pennsylvania State University |
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Topic Index
Computerized Physician Order Entry
Defining the Future State of Interoperability
Healthcare Industry Collaboration
How Technology Can Enhance Patient Safety
Medication Management
Staffing Shortages in Healthcare
Workflow/Process Management
