Since health means a holistic balance of body and mind as well as relative freedom from pain and distress, an EHR is far more inclusive than an EMR. In essence, though, an electronic medical record is a digital copy of a patient's medical charts. An electronic copy of a patient's medical records can be found in most hospitals and clinician's offices.
Benefits of EMR
An electronic medical record is more organized, cost-efficient and convenient than paper records. An EMR allows nurses and physicians to do the following:
- Quickly chart the patient's condition over time
- Discern how patients are performing with respect to blood pressure readings and other health barometers
- Enhance communication among specialists
- Immediately find out when patients are due for screenings and routine checkups
EMR vs. EHR
An electronic health record does what an EMR does but also looks at the overall health of the patient. An EHR goes beyond routine clinical data to optimize the physical and psychological well-being of the patient. The intrinsic purpose of an EHR is to peer behind what an EMR exclusively focuses on.
The National Alliance for Health Information Technology even stated that an EHR can be consulted by more healthcare professionals than an EMR. An EHR can be viewed from nursing homes, hospitals, a specialist's office, or an ambulance.
An EHR can even be viewed and analyzed by the patient. The idea behind an EHR is thus: the more people you incorporate into optimizing the patient's health, the better off the patient will ultimately be.
Although the information trafficked by an EHR is held in confidence, it moves very quickly from one specialist to the next qualified professional. Quick movement of information can facilitate speedy treatment and lasting follow-up solutions.
EMR or EHR
Both an EMR and EHR are indispensable for delivering quality care. An EHR is more holistic in focus than an EMR. An EMR is an electronic copy of the patient's medical records whereas an EHR has a broader scope. An EHR encompasses but cannot replace an EMR.
Guest columnist Pam Johnson is a nurse who obtained her degree from one of the Top 10 Online Accelerated BSN Degree Programs. The hospital she works at uses an EMR software system that makes Pam's job a lot smoother.
