Electronic medical record

Article By:

Pfeiffer, Karl-Peter Department for Medical Statistics, Informatics, and Health Economics, Innsbruck Medical University, Innsbruck, Austria.

Last reviewed:2010

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1036/1097-8542.YB100142

The replacement of paper-based medical documentation by electronic documentation dates back to the early use of computers in the 1960s. Since then, electronic medical records (EMRs) have become more complex, and both the content and the functionality have increased substantially and will increase further in the near future. The implementation of an EMR is a long-term project and is related to a transformation process for the health-care system. Today's health-care systems are fragmented, not very efficient and ineffective, and with safety shortcomings. The development of an efficient information and communication technology (ICT) infrastructure for documentation, archiving, retrieval, communication, and processing of health-related data provides a great opportunity for improving health care and social systems worldwide. Therefore, a shift from provider-oriented documentation to patient-centered communication and integrated health care is essential. This could be achieved by the implementation of EMRs.

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