The EMR is a computer-based medical record that is specific to one physician, practice or organization. It is the record that a doctor maintains on his or her own patients, detailing personal information, medical history and diagnosis. It is often integrated with the medical business software that manages activities such as billing and scheduling.

The key difference is in the scope of data in the record. Where the EMR is the individual physician's record, the EHR is a computer-based medical record that includes information that may originate in multiple organizations such as hospitals, medical laboratories and pharmacies. The EHR has been called a "system of systems" that can also encompass longitudinal medical data or the cradle to grave record. The EHR may be an application that exists on one computer, or it may be constructed as needed by the practitioner at the point of care; the latter has been termed a virtual medical record (VMR).

EMR systems have been proved to aid in substantial reductions of cost, time and effort for the medical community. They are a step towards quality healthcare with minimal scope of errors and seamless running of medical processes. Physicians have always looked for ways to improve the delivery of care to their patients. An EMR system, carefully selected and wisely implemented, can help in many areas and offer a good return on investment. Unlike paper records, the EMR rapidly and efficiently preserves critical medical information. This is important, as the art and science of medicine is practiced within an information driven environment and most of the information in a clinical setting is based on patient charts and related records. Physicians talk about the tyranny of paper, and problems such as not being able to locate a paper chart or the "front sheet" not being up-to-date.

In addition to eliminating many of these concerns, the EMR can improve management of chronic diseases by making patient data more easily accessible. The physician can program reminders about periodic tests or checks that need to be completed in chronic illness management.

There is an expectation that to provide quality care physicians should comply with increasingly complicated clinical guidelines. Computer hardware and software are good enough now that the EMR applications should not impede the provision of care, but in fact help the physician meet expectations with respect to quality care by, for instance, linking clinical support tools such as guidelines with care for specific patients. An EMR also permits a physician to show patients specific test results in comprehensible formats. Patients who see their lab results drawn in a graph, for example, demonstrate markedly improved understanding when compared to those whose test results are relayed verbally or just written on a piece of paper.

The EMR can also help reduce medical errors, especially medication-related errors. As more new drugs come on the market, it is increasingly difficult for physicians to be aware of all the potential adverse effects. The very low rate of reporting adverse drug events is also a concern. An EMR with a drug interaction module could be expected to reduce adverse events, and offer an easy means of reporting an adverse drug reaction. Generating prescriptions by computer will reduce medication errors; result in fewer inquiries from the pharmacy and save time in the physician's office.

Where paper records make it difficult to review practice activities, an EMR can offer assurance that patients are well managed. It is easy to deal with drug recalls, and producing refills for multiple drugs becomes a pleasure. The ability to quickly glance at previous visits and problems reassures you that you are not missing things. Integration of your care plans, communications, billing and scheduling increases your ability to provide better care, and your office may run more efficiently and effectively as a result. You will also be able to take advantage of the growing amount of information shared electronically, especially in the area of clinical decision support.

The most important thing to realize in your situation is that EMR vendors see themselves as either small- or large-group vendors, generally speaking. The small-group vendors tend to be smaller companies, including a lot of very small, local operations. The ability to survive in the EMR marketplace is dependent on a (company) securing as many large accounts as possible, so the small-group vendors are going to tend to be less stable financially. This conundrum drives some small groups to band together with other groups to provide a large enough customer for a more stable vendor. As for which system works best for pediatricians in small groups that is a rapidly moving target. The best system is one that is already working in a pediatric environment. The best way to find out who has implemented what is to get on the Steering Committee on Clinical Information Technology (SCOCIT) e-mail list (if you are a member of SCOCIT) and ask around. There are hundred of vendors, especially for the small practice market, and no particular market leaders.

Physicians are information managers and generate a lot of data within their own practices. A single physician will write about 12,000 prescriptions a year. Using an EMR to develop a well organized Problem List and readable notes is another advantage . Data entry is one of the big hurdles facing EMR users, and it must continue as long as other institutions are still using paper records or systems that cannot export data in standard formats. It is much easier to justify having an EMR system when your office can automatically import data and avoid manual data entry. But while it would be even better if labs and diagnostic imaging facilities sent results electronically, physicians manage so much information of their own that it still makes sense to have EMRs. Three years worth of lab results may comprise 100,000 records.

The most common reason to select a specific EMR is whether it plays nice with your financial system. This is not a cynical view...it is just business reality. If you have no (electronic) financial system, you are free to move about the EMR marketplace to look at features.

1. The EMR software can effectively handle and manage large practices and healthcare centers
2. The EMR software can proficiently addresses the main needs of a hospital information system, since it is a knowledge based system
3. The electronic medical record software can incorporate all the departments of a practice
4. The EMR software can provide 24x7access to comprehensive information across the enterprise
5. The EMR software can competently perform medical billing functions
6. Using the EMR software can help you reduce errors
7. The electronic medical record software is HL7 compliant

The electronic medical record software usually has the following characteristic features.

1. The EMR software can competently address issues regarding security, confidentiality and privacy
2. The EMR software can store data according to the related regulation acts
3. The presentation of information in the EMR software can be altered to suit the user’s preference and requirements
4. Users can retrieve selected information
5. A computerized version of a patient’s record, along with progress notes and treatment plans can be created with ease
6. The EMR software has automatic security measures that are also HIPAA compliant
7. All patient files can be password protected in the EMR software
8.A signature of the last user is stored in the software to easily track the users of the EMR software
9. The EMR software has restricted access features
10. The information in the EMR software can be presented in a clear, concise and precise manner. The information can be stored in a form which can be easily used in other applications
11. The EMR software is cost-effective and easy to use. You can also save on time and effort by using an EMR software. The EMR software can be easily merged into your existing processes without any hassles
12. The EMR software can provide an ASP solution for managing practices and maintaining health records
13. The EMR software can efficiently store, transfer and retrieve medical information within a practice. The electronic medical record software is also a healthcare logistics software as it has features that enable interfacing with other data providers who are outside the practice.

Yes. The EMR software can increase and improve your efficiency as it has an electronic patient check-in. The EMR software can also be effectively used to access any records on a 24x7 basis. The EMR software is a flexible transcription tool. The electronic medical record software has an instant messaging feature that enables easy and fast communication between users. In the EMR software, patient summary information can be easily customized to view specific details. All these features of the EMR software can enhance the functionality of your healthcare practice.

By employing the use of the EMR software at your hospital you can benefit from the following.

1. The conversion of your chart rooms to exam rooms would result in increased revenue
2. Your organization can experience accurate and error-free coding with the help of the coding functions and templates in the EMR software
3. Your patients can easily access the results of their tests
4. Experience an increase in quality
5. Paperless records

The following are some of the modules in the EMR software.

1. Patient Demographics Module
2. Appointment Scheduling Module
3. Medical Billing Module
4. Authorization Manager Module
5. Administration/Security Module
6. Charting Module
7. Messaging Module
8. Archiving Module
9. Drug Interaction Module
10. Fax/Scanner Integration Module
11. DICOM Images Module
12. Reports Module

Physicians are information managers and generate a lot of data within their own practices. A single physician will write about 12,000 prescriptions a year. Using an EMR to develop a well organized Problem List and readable notes is another advantage from within you own office. Data entry is one of the big hurdles facing EMR users, and it must continue as long as other institutions are still using paper records or systems that cannot export data in standard formats. It is much easier to justify having an EMR system when your office can automatically import data and avoid manual data entry. But while it would be even better if labs and diagnostic imaging facilities sent results electronically, physicians manage so much information of their own that it still makes sense to have EMRs. Three years worth of lab results may comprise 100,000 records.

A common mistake when looking at EMR systems is to underestimate the power and complexity of the functions that physicians require. Physicians do a lot of things during the patient encounter; the difficulty is in recording everything that transpires. When you assess an EMR application check if the workflow of the program suits your practice style. It takes several hours at least to work through different scenarios to assess how the EMR system works. Don’t discount a program because it looks too complicated; users who work with these programs on a daily basis soon appreciate the extra features that looked complicated at first.

Ideally the computer system should be designed to be one step ahead of the user. Functions you want should be in plain sight, and you should not have to search through multiple screens to find them. The ability of various parts of the EMR to work with each other or the integration of different components is key to a high-level EMR. Avoid programs that require data to be re-entered for separate modules; data entered during the physician encounter, for instance, should pass through to the billing application. Such integration depends on how comprehensive the system's reference coding is. When evaluating systems, determine how exceptions and changes are handled. Are there enough codes to allow your staff to capture the necessary information without having to shoehorn data into a limited number of fields? It is common for users to say they do not want a lot of codes, but this comment reflects not so much the wish for as few codes as possible but bad experiences with poorly designed interfaces.

Select a system that can communicate with others, and consider how well the system imports and exports data. It is also important to learn about the vendors' demonstrated ability to provide service to clinics similar to your own.

Daily routines should change to maximize the use of the computers. Paper routines should be rethought, not just automated. The main EMR functions that physicians want are lab results and prescriptions. Visit notes are the hardest part for physicians to get started with, and it is a big day when charts are no longer pulled for each office visit. At the outset some effort should be made to populate the database with as much historical data as possible. One year of lab results, prescriptions and visit dates with the billing diagnosis would be extremely useful. In addition, the office computers will need to be networked so that the physician can use the computer at the same time as the staff. Make sure there is enough desk space for all the required hardware.

Even though EMRs are still at the early adopter stage, there is a good understanding of the costs involved. Service agreements will cover hardware concerns, but you should also factor in replacement costs since it will be a stretch to keep the same hardware longer than three or four years. One approach is to get more capacity in terms of speed and hard disk storage than you need; then the system may meet your needs for a longer time. The other approach is to get an EMR that is just fast enough and has barely enough storage space. You will need to upgrade sooner. Remember that as the office gets more proficient in using the computer system people will want to do more and more on the computer. This could include photos, telemedicine, messaging with patients, patient access to the system and other functions that you did not consider at the time of the initial purchase. A big decision is whether to have your own server or if the server function should be housed at a remote location. Each approach has benefits and costs.

There will be costs related to training you and your staff and you should consider having extra staff during the transition period. Once the staff is trained, turnover will be a concern; in addition, there will be a continuing need to keep staff trained and retrained as new versions of the application are released. Expect to see lower productivity for about six months as you get used to the EMR, but this will be followed by increased productivity. Other hidden costs can include wiring changes and subscription services. These could include access to Internet and subscriptions for medical reference and drug interaction.