The Role of Electronic Medical Records (EMRs) in Patient Care

Electronic medical records (EMRs) compile patient information in computer files. In the past, medical records were in paper format. As health care organizations understand the different roles of EMRs, many are now moving to this modern format.

Information Availability

• EMRs provide instant accessibility to patient information at the click of a button.

Efficiency

• Typing patient information into an electronic format is considerably faster than writing patient information into a paper record. EMRs increase efficiency and allow health care providers to spend more time on direct patient care than documenting.

Errors

• Hard-to-read handwritten documentation can cause increased errors in patient care. EMRs reduce the occurrence of errors because typed documentation leaves little to decipher.

Information Integration

• With EMRs, information from different departments, and even different health care providers, is easily integrated. Health care providers can quickly review patient laboratory results, radiology reports and drug interactions with a few clicks.

Decision Support

• EMRs provide the ability for decision support to assist in treating a patient. For example, "if, then" databases (if the patient has X, try Y) can be provided, in addition to online medical dictionaries and pharmaceutical databases for quickly researching the best medication.