Difference Between EHR and EMR

EHR vs EMR

Most of the time, people use the two terms ‘“ EHR(Electronic Health record) and EMR(Electronic Medical Record) alternatively and think the two to be the same. However, EHR and EMR are quite different.

One of the major differences between EHR and EMR is with regard to how the data stored electronically is used and shared. While EMR relates to the confines of a practitioner or a single health office, the EHR relates to the sharing of documents across different providers.

EMR deals with patient information, lab applications, clinical data and management systems among other things, which are within the reach of a single organization or a practitioner. On the other hand, EHR is a complete data of the patient, which contains clinical assessments drawn from a wide range of providers the patient might have seen.

While EMR is only the electronic data of a single diagnosis, the EHR is a comprehensive view of the patient’s overall health condition.

EMR relates to a patient’s documents in a single clinic or health care facility. On the other hand, EHR relates to the documents available in all the clinics that the patient had visited. EHR can be said to be a comprehensive data of the health history of the patient.

EHR is more useful in the treatment of a patient as it contains up to date information of a patient’s health condition. As EMR pertains to only the clinical data of a patient of a single clinic, it cannot be said to be complete in all aspects.

Well, EMR is less prone to misuse and theft of data when compared to EHR. This is because EMR pertains to the record of a single hospital or health care centre and may be handled by a single practitioner. On the contrary, EHR is a collection of data got from different sources.

Summary:
1.While EMR relates to the confines of a practitioner or a single health office, the EHR relates to the sharing of documents across different providers.
2.While EMR is only the electronic data of a single diagnosis, the EHR is a comprehensive view of the patient’s overall health condition.
3.EHR can be said to be a comprehensive data of the health history of the patient.
4.EHR is more useful in the treatment of a patient as it contains up to date information of a patient’s health condition. As EMR pertains to only the clinical data of a patient of a single clinic, it cannot be said to be complete in all aspects.