In your office, you may use the terms “electronic medical records” and “electronic health records” interchangeably. We can’t blame you for that. There is only one letter difference in their acronyms. But, did you know there actually some substantial differences in the two terms? When you’re seeking out a professional company who provides EMR/ EHR scanning services, it is important to note the differences. For those offices located near Philadelphia or Trenton, electronic medical record scanning may be enough for you, but you may also want to explore electronic health records, once you know the difference.
Electronic Medical Records (EMR)
EMRs are just a digital version of a hard copy patient record. They are used to record data and findings about patients at each appointment. They are used to keep track of vital information that doctors may need to know for the future.
An EMR is handy because it’s digital, which allows for more intense tracking as opposed to a paper record. It allows medical professionals to monitor their patient on a whole new level. They can easily see trends over time with an EMR. They can also keep track of when appointments and checkups need to be scheduled.
Electronic Health Records (EHR)
EHRs are capable of everything we discussed about EMRs and more. They are able to track patient information, but goes beyond that by sharing that information. EHRs are designed to share patient information with necessary parties outside the institution that initially gathered it.
This is useful in situations where multiple healthcare professionals are involved with one patient. For example, if laboratories and specialists become involved in a patient’s healthcare, this one version of the medical record can be transferred between all of them. They are designed to center on the overall health of a patient.
Now that you can see the difference between the two, you may prefer one over the other for your own needs.
Need electronic health record or electronic medical record scanning services? Call Resource Data Management at 215-953-5175 or Request a Quote.