Electronic Health Records (EHRs) are secure, private, lifetime records containing patient-health and points-of-care histories within the healthcare system. Data from any connected healthcare entity, such as hospitals, clinics, doctors, pharmacies and laboratories, helps care teams provide more informed recommendations based on the longitudinal healthcare history of the patient. This information is then made accessible to healthcare professionals across a jurisdiction

Why Use EHRs?

The fundamental goal of an EHR system is to create a longitudinal patient record with complete information about patients across all aspects of care including their demographic details, clinical history, medication list, radiology history, diagnostic investigations, procedures and encounters with the healthcare system. A comprehensive EHR is of most value to patients with complex chronic conditions such as diabetes, heart disease and COPD or patients with complex care needs. Clinical information – accessible regardless of location – means care revolves around the patient and is based on a comprehensive understanding of their clinical situation.

Healthcare delivery is often fragmented into silos that do not communicate well together. A lack of data and information sharing between healthcare providers is a persistent problem that has been resistant to change. The Orion Health Chronic Care Index, a poll of 1,551 Canadians, found that people with chronic conditions frequently experience medication errors or duplications, as well as undergo unnecessary repeat procedures. They also describe repeatedly outlining the same information about their condition every time they visit a care provider.

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