According to the latest World Health Organization (WHO) estimates, more than 60% of countries are currently implementing their own digital health technology, Electronic health records (EHRs), Electronic medical records (EMRs) and other e-health strategies, both nationally and regionally.
The implementation of these strategies aims at promoting the improved quality of medical care through direct exchange of information between all levels provision of medical care and implementation of the information support system for clinical decisions.
Electronic medical records (EMRs) are 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. EMRs have 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.
Electronic health records (EHRs) do all those things—and more. EHRs 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. EHRs 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.”
The information moves with the patient—to the specialist, the hospital, the nursing home, the next state or even across the country. In comparing the differences between record types, HIMSS Analytics stated that, “The EHR represents the ability to easily share medical information among stakeholders and to have a patient’s information follow him or her through the various modalities of care engaged by that individual.” EHRs are designed to be accessed by all people involved in the patients care—including the patients themselves. Indeed, that is an explicit expectation in the Stage 1 definition of “meaningful use” of EHRs.
And that makes all the difference. Because when information is shared in a secure way, it becomes more powerful. Health care is a team effort, and shared information supports that effort. After all, much of the value derived from the health care delivery system results from the effective communication of information from one party to another and, ultimately, the ability of multiple parties to engage in interactive communication of information.
Modern medical equipment is able to integrate into the medical information network and automatically send data to the appropriate EHR/EMR.
The MAS2 line of spirometers is characterized by embedded EHR/EMR connectivity – embedded LAN, USB. NET version available, share one database between different PC workstations. Supported remote storing and analysis of spirometric data, their comparison, regression and dynamic observation with automatic COPD monitoring and identification of respiratory risk groups.
The Pulsar line of pulse oximeters stores monitoring data in a specialized application on a personal computer that generates an examination report and is compatible with hospital information systems, EHR/EMR.