EMR is the Building Block for Healthcare Softwares

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act encourages the optimum use of technology in providing healthcare to the residents. A well maintained database of health records is the first step in integrating technology in the healthcare and health insurance sector.

Electronic Medical Record (EMR) is a healthcare software that precisely addresses this problem of storing the medical information of every individual. An EMR, as defined by the National Alliance for Health Information Technology (NAHIT), is an electronic record of health-related information on an individual that is created, gathered, managed, and consulted by licensed clinicians and staff from a single organization who are involved in the individual's health and care.

The biggest advantage of EMR is that it is much easier to maintain the data and it can be accessed easily by anyone who is authorized to do so. It saves time and money as patients do not have to undergo repeated tests when they change doctors. Also in cases of emergencies, a doctor can easily check the medical history of the patient before administering healthcare.

Here is a look at some of the other advantages of adopting the Electronic Medical Record software:

1. With all the medical information in electronic form, it will now become much easier to trace date over a period of time.
2. It will be easy to keep a record of the patients who are due for preventive screenings and check-ups.
3. It will be convenient to keep a tab on how the patients are doing on certain parameters such as controlling blood pressures and getting vaccinations.
4. The easily available and well maintained catalogue of health records will facilitate monitoring and improving the overall quality of care within medical practice.

A EMR is basically a compilation of all the patient' s data such as his basic information, his records of medical consultation check- ups and follow- ups, medical complaints presenting signs and symptoms of the illness, and the impression of the medical doctor examining the patient.

The EMR is also a record of the medical treatment administered to the patient. It includes the medical prescriptions given, the lab tests done, surgeries undergone, name and dose of the drugs and also the duration for which the medicines were prescribed. This will help the new doctor to understand the degree and nature of the disease, give him a basis to start a new prescription and evaluate the efficiency of the treatment. Information about medical history and previous course of treatment will ensure that the new treatment has lesser glitches and is more effective.

The EMR is like the basic framework upon which other useful healthcare softwares such as EHR (Electronic Health Records), Health Information Exchange, Health Insurance Exchange, Insurance quoting platforms and Quote comparison engines can be built. All this softwares need access to medical information about the residents before they can process it further to give the required results.

Shaun Mike is well known authority on health insurance in the US. He is currently looking to expand his expertise to health insurance and other healthcare software available.