While some clinicians might use the terms EMR and EHR interchangeably, they do provide various different benefits. Even though both EHR and EMR may serve similar functions, at their core, both of them are entirely different.

EMR is Electronic Medical Record, which is a digital chart with patient information that can be stored on a computer. It is essentially the digital format of traditional paper charts. An EMR can contain all the necessary information about a patient, their medical history, diagnoses and treatments, but only in the hospital or clinic they are supposedly getting treatment.

EHR is the short form of Electronic Health Records, and it is somewhat similar to EMR in a way. Just like EMR, EHR too contains patient information, including their medical history, diagnosis and treatment. However, while EMR can only be within the certain practice where the patient is getting the treatment, EHR can be shared electronically among other authorized providers.

Benefits of EMR and EHR

Both EHR and EMR have various advantages over traditional patient health records. EMR saves physical space in a hospital or clinic’s storage and reduces errors. Patients can also receive quicker care with the electronic record, improved treatment and diagnosis. You can also optimize the workflow in a hospital or clinic at a lower operational cost. Making changes to a patient’s Medical Record whenever necessary is easier with EMR. Whenever there is a need to transfer data from one department to another within the same practice, EMR makes it easier and quicker to share the data digitally with just a click of a few buttons.

EHR also has several benefits over traditional health records, from providing up-to-date,  accurate, and complete information about patients to securely sharing the information within the same and other clinics. It is also easier to reduce medical errors, diagnose patients, and provide safer care more effectively with EHR. It increases the productivity and work-life balance of the medical care providers.

Conclusion

When you are selecting healthcare software for your practice, you should keep in mind all the important functions of both EHR and EMR. You should figure out which software will be more beneficial to your practice.