Types of Electronic Health Records

Electronic health records have been touted as a way to make patient care more efficient and effective and also to save health care costs. Here's a brief explanation of the several different types of information stored on these EHRs.

Notes

• Doctors' and nurses' notes made during a patient's stay can be entered into the EHR to ensure a continuity of care. Also, these notes can be referred to in the future if a patient has to make a return visit to the hospital.

Documents

• Inherent in any visit or stay to a doctor or hospital are a number of documents that the patient must sign. These documents can be digitized and made a part of your EHR.

Database information

• Lab test results, readings from various instruments and the like included in the EHR can form the basis for databases, which can then be converted into charts and graphs to help doctors make care decisions.

Pictures

• X-rays and other types of scans can be incorporated in the EHR, which can make them more easily accessed by doctors.

Medications

• A list of medications given to a patient, as well as reactions to those medications, can be kept in the EHR and used to ensure the proper medications are dispensed.