The healthcare industry has adopted technology widely and taken steps towards digital transformation. However, in order to make a complete digital shift, healthcare needs to streamline their data management.
Although healthcare is one of the biggest sectors with huge amounts of data. It has to be secured and easily accessible. This is where two technological advancements, i.e., EMR vs EHR, play major roles.
These two are most commonly referred to terms that are used in healthcare to manage data. These two are often interchanged because they sound similar. But there is a difference between them that many people do not know.
EHR stands for Electronic health records. Which is used to digitally record healthcare information. On the other hand, EMR stands for electronic medical record. Which is used to digitally record patients’ information in chart format.
Both are essential parts of maintaining healthcare records and It is essential to know the role of each and the key differences.
That’s why, in this article, we will understand everything about EHR and EMR, as well as the key differences and benefits of EMR for healthcare data management.
What is EMR Software?
EMR stands for Electronic Medical Records, a digital version of the paper charts in the clinician’s office. An EMR contains the medical and treatment history of the patients in one practice. So it has advantages over paper records. For example, EMRs allow clinicians to:
- Track data over time
- Easily identify which patients are due for preventive screenings or checkups
- Check how their patients are doing on certain parameters—such as blood pressure readings or vaccinations
- Monitor and improve overall quality of care within the practice
But the information in EMRs doesn’t travel easily out of the practice. In fact, the patient’s record might even have to be printed out and delivered by mail to specialists and other members of the care team. In that regard, EMRs are not much better than a paper record.
Key Features of EMR Software
Here are some key features of EMR software:
Real-time Access to Patient Data: EMR system allows healthcare professionals to have real-time access to patients’ sensitive data. So that they can check and make better decisions that lead to better patient care.
Clinical Decision Support: EMR also has clinical support tools that help healthcare professionals stay updated about their operations, such as auto-reminders, alerts, relevant information about patients, and more. It’s more like a supporting tool that makes professional work easier and more efficient.
E-Prescription: E-prescription is another useful feature that allows doctors to digitally send prescriptions to patients without any need for paperwork. It makes the process faster and more efficient.
Patient Scheduling: Scheduling is the primary feature of EMR, and it allows patients to schedule their appointments instead of visiting the hospital. So, it allows them to book a consultation at a suitable time without going anywhere in the comfort of their home.
Centralized Communication: EMR provides a centralized communication system that will make sure to let patients, doctors, and other departments connect in one place digitally.
Efficient Documentation: EMR streamlines the documentation process and allows healthcare organizations to switch entire paperwork to digital platforms, making the process of storing, accessing, and managing data easy.
What is EHR Software?
EHR stands for Electronic health records, do all those things and more. It focus on the total health of the patient—going beyond standard clinical data collected in the provider’s office and inclusive of a broader view on a patient’s care. Electronic health records are designed to reach out beyond the health organization that originally collects and compiles the information.
They are built to share information with other health care providers, such as laboratories and specialists, so they contain information from all the clinicians involved in the patient’s care. The National Alliance for Health Information Technology stated that EHR data “can be created, managed, and consulted by authorized clinicians and staff across more than one healthcare organization.”
Key Features of EHR Software
Here are some key features of EHR software:
Automated Scheduling: EHR helps streamline booking and managing appointments automatically and ensures human mistakes are avoided.
E-Prescription: It allows doctors to send the patient’s prescriptions digitally to the pharmacy through the system. It makes the process much faster and reduces the paperwork load.
Monitoring Patients’ Status: EHR integration helps to track each patient’s health in real-time and provides complete health information, including test results, records, symptoms, and other progress. So that doctors can check the patient’s overall health at once digitally and make better decisions for care.
Generating Support Documentation: EHR also automatically generates supported documents for the patients, including billing, patient care, etc. So that all the relevant data is stored in one place and is up-to-date.
Processing Claims: It helps to process claims directly with the insurance companies and makes it easier to submit claims and get paid for the patients.
Appointment Reminders: It will keep reminding the patients about medications and upcoming appointments via text, email, or phone. So that patients will be alert and rescue missing important appointments.
EMR vs EHR
- EMR is primarily drawn for diagnosis and treatment but EHR is developed for exchanging information with people concerned.
- The EMR software doesn’t allow data to be shared outside the system while with EHR software data can be distributed to various places and people.
- EMR is mainly installed by health systems like hospitals and clinics but EHR is possessed by patients and stakeholders.
- As EMR is one-way communication software but EHR is two-way communication software.
- EMR healthcare is small software but EHR is larger healthcare software which includes EMR, billing system and telemedicine.
- Electronic Medical Record (EMR) provides a contracted view of patient’s data while Electronic Health Record (EHR) gives detailed access to the patient’s overall medical history.
| EHR (Electronic Health Records) | EMR (Electronic Medical Records) |
| A digital record of health information | A digital version of a chart |
| Streamlined sharing of updated, real-time information | Not designed to be shared outside the individual practice |
| Allows a patient’s medical information to move with them | Patient record does not easily travel outside the practice |
| Access to tools that providers can use for decision making | Mainly used by providers for diagnosis and treatment |
These are the main differences which can help in providing insight into the difference between EMR and EHR.
What are the Benefits of EHR over EMR?
The EHR is the future of healthcare because they provide critical data that informs clinical decisions, and they help coordinate care between everyone in the healthcare ecosystem. An EHR has the following benefits over an EMR:
Health Information and Data
The system holds what‘s normally in a paper chart – problem lists, ICD-10 codes, medication lists, test results.
Results Management
An EHR lets you receive lab results, radiology reports, and even X-ray images electronically while ensuring tests are not duplicated.
Order Entry
No more prescription pads. All your orders are automated using secure e-prescribing technology.
Decision Support
Offer access to evidence-based tools to support clinical decisions. An EHR is smart enough to warn you about drug interactions, help you make a diagnosis, and point you to evidence-based guidelines when you’re evaluating treatment options.
Electronic Communications and Connectivity
You can talk in cyberspace with patients, your medical assistant, referring doctors, hospitals, and insurers—securely. Streamline the workflow of providers as your system interfaces with everyone else‘s. Interoperability is the key word.
Patient Support
Engage your patients by allowing to them to receive educational material via the EHR and enter data themselves through online questionnaires and home monitoring devices.
Administrative Processes
The system lends a hand with practice management and helps avoid delays in treatments. Patients can schedule their own appointments and staffers can check on insurance eligibility.
Conclusion
EHR vs EMR integration both play the most crucial role in healthcare data management. It is the revolutionized way for the healthcare sector to reduce the paperwork. And switch to a more secure and easily accessible way for sensitive documents. With the help of these tools, healthcare professionals can easily access the patient’s data. And make better decisions for patient care. We hope this guide helps you understand the difference between EHR and EMR, its features, and why considering these tools is essential for streamlining documentation.
FAQs
Q1. What is the main difference between EMR and EHR?
EHR stands for electronic health records. Which are comprehensive records that are shared across multiple healthcare providers. On the other hand, EMR stands for electronic medical records. Which are digital versions of painted sensitive information that are used within one practice.
Q2. Which is better for small clinics: EMR or EHR?
EMR is better for small clinics because it is much easier and focuses on internal patient data management.
Q3. Why is EHR considered more comprehensive than EMR?
EHR is more comprehensive, and it includes information from various healthcare providers, which gives a complete view of patients’ health.
