EHR

An electronic health record (EHR) is a digital, real-time compilation of a patient’s health information intended for use by clinicians across settings. EHRs are designed to support continuity of care by aggregating data from multiple encounters and making it securely available to authorized providers. They typically include demographics, diagnoses, medications, allergies, immunizations, lab results, imaging, treatment plans, notes, vital signs, and billing information, and may integrate orders and decision-support tools.

EHRs differ from electronic medical records (EMRs). An EMR is the digital record within a single practice, while an EHR is designed for interoperability and sharing across organizations. EHRs enable data exchange with laboratories, pharmacies, specialists, and payers, facilitating care coordination and population health management. Patients may access portions of their records through patient portals.

Standards and security. EHR systems use interoperability frameworks such as HL7 and FHIR to exchange data, and imaging data may use DICOM. Privacy and security are governed by laws and regulations (for example, HIPAA in the United States), with access controls, audit trails, encryption, and consent management to protect patient information.

Adoption and challenges. Implementations require substantial investment, workflow redesign, and training. Interoperability remains uneven across vendors; data quality and usability can affect clinician efficiency. Ongoing governance, maintenance, and updates are needed to preserve data integrity and security.