What’s the Difference Between an EHR and EMR?

Managing patient information has become increasingly challenging as the healthcare system grows in complexity, and data security issues plague legacy software and manual processes. Digitalizing patient records is inevitable as healthcare organizations embark on digital transformation journeys to modernize their practices to stay relevant. 

Electronic medical records (EMRs) and electronic health records (EHRs) are the center of these initiatives. So, what are the differences between these solutions, what are their pros and cons, and which is best for your practice? 

EHR vs EMR: Definitions

While some might use the terms interchangeably, they have different meanings, with EHR covering a broader scope than EMR. Here’s what they mean:

What Is an EMR?

EMR stands for electronic medical record. It’s a digital version of a patient’s chart and includes detailed medical history, diagnoses, treatment plans, prescriptions, immunization dates, allergies and lab results. EMRs are for internal use within a healthcare organization and act like electronic replicas of paper records. 

EMRs often operate on legacy systems or are built into proprietary platforms, focusing on intra-organizational operations. The information can’t be shared with external parties and doesn’t support communication with systems outside the originating organization. While an EMR may automate processes within an organization, it often requires manual processes for data sharing with third parties.

What Is an EHR?

EHR stands for electronic health record. It covers most EMR functionalities while enabling patient data exchange across various healthcare organizations. It integrates patient records into a unified, interoperable system and supports a patient-centric approach to care delivery. The records allow authorized providers, hospitals, laboratories and specialists to access all health information in one place to gain a holistic view of a patient’s care.

EHR systems use interoperability standards like HL7 FHIR and APIs for seamless communication among disparate systems. They integrate with third-party applications (e.g., clinical decision support tools and patient engagement platforms) to ensure real-time access to the latest patient data while complying with strict security protocols such as HIPAA and HITRUST.

EHR vs EMR: What Are the Key Differences?

EHRs and EMRs vary significantly in scope and accessibility. They also differ in how they support patient engagement and regulatory compliance. Let’s delve into the nuances:

Scope and Functionality

An EMR system is an internal system for keeping patient records for a single healthcare organization. However, it doesn’t integrate with external systems or handle data beyond its immediate environment. On the other hand, an EHR solution encompasses a broader healthcare ecosystem and aggregates data from multiple providers to offer a holistic view of a patient’s medical history. It also supports enhanced functionalities like care coordination across facilities and predictive analytics for population health.

Accessibility and Interoperability

The propriety standards most EMRs use often create accessibility challenges as they require a custom interface for data exchange. A practice may face delays or added costs when sharing patient data with other systems, causing inefficiencies and potential gaps in patient care. An EHR system leverages modern standards like HL7 FHIR to support interoperability and enable seamless data sharing across disparate systems for continuity of care. 

Healthcare organizations can enhance data exchange and interoperability by connecting their EHR systems with Unite. It automates and streamlines data exchange via an inbox-like interface to funnel all inbound documents from any source (e.g., faxes, scanned PDFs, downloads) into a single intake process and turn unstructured information into structured data for EHR consumption.

Patient Engagement

EMR functionalities are provider-focused. While they can document visits and treatment plans, few allow patients access to their records or tools for active participation in their care. EHR systems offer patient-centric features like patient portals where users can view their medical records, schedule appointments and communicate with their providers. For example, Unite enhances the patient experience by enabling care teams to communicate with patients using secure direct messaging.

Compliance and Regulations

EMRs and EHRs must adhere to strict regulations like HIPAA to ensure the secure handling of protected health information (PHI). However, legacy EMR systems often require manual data exchange processes to move patient information into and out of the software, creating security and compliance issues. EHR integrates advanced security protocols into interoperability tools to ensure secure data handling throughout the automated process. 

Healthcare organizations can integrate EHRs with Unite to ensure secure data exchange with HIPAA-compliant, HITRUST CSF-certified tools. Also, Unite’s DirectTrust framework supports secure direct messaging to protect sensitive patient information while supporting efficient communication within a healthcare practice.

EMR vs EHR: Use Cases

When should you use an EMR, and when to adopt an EHR? Here’s what to consider:

When To Use an EMR System

An EMR may be sufficient for organizations that don’t need to share patient data with external entities or smaller practices with limited patient volume seeking a simple solution to handle internal documentation. It may support specialized care and niche service providers that require a focused workflow. Some practices may use an EMR due to cost or compatibility concerns with upgrading to advanced systems.

When To Use an EHR Solution

An EHR is indispensable for coordinating care across multiple settings and facilitating data sharing among external parties. It supports integrated health networks where hospitals, multi-specialty practices and accountable care organizations (ACOs) must exchange real-time data to ensure care continuity. For example, an EHR integrated with Unite allows patient data queries with Carequality.

An EHR supports population health management with trend analytics across patient populations. Providers can use the insights to manage chronic conditions, track vaccination rates or assess treatment plan efficacy. Additionally, healthcare organizations that seek to implement patient-centric care delivery should use an EHR. Tools like patient portals empower patients to access their medical records, view lab results and communicate with providers, encouraging them to become involved in their care plans.

Benefits and Drawbacks of EMR and EHR

Here are the pros and cons of each option and limitations you should consider when choosing a solution:

Advantages of EMRs

EMRs are typically simpler to manage, especially for smaller practices with limited resources. They deliver a focused set of functionalities and are best for streamlining in-house operations to improve administrative tasks like scheduling, billing and documentation. In most cases, EMRs are less complex and faster to deploy because they don’t require integration with other systems.

Advantages of EHRs

EHRs offer comprehensive interoperability to connect multiple systems and organizations for seamless data exchange across a patient’s care continuum. They aggregate data from various providers into a unified view of a patient’s health history, helping reduce duplicate tests, improve decision-making and minimize the risks of drug interactions. They often have built-in functions to ensure compliance with standards like HIPAA and HITRUST. Additionally, they provide robust analytics to help identify trends, predict treatment outcomes and enhance preventive care efforts in population health initiatives.

Limitations of EMRs and EHRs

EMRs lack interoperability, making data sharing with external providers challenging. The limited integration capabilities often lead to manual data entry, increasing errors and reducing efficiency. Additionally, these solutions may not scale to meet growing data-sharing needs as your practice grows or joins networks.

EHRs are often more complex to implement and maintain, requiring significant IT resources. The vast amounts of integrated data may make it challenging to sift through the information to find actionable insights. The transition to an EHR often requires comprehensive staff training and change management, while the learning curve may slow down processes during the adoption phase.

Transitioning from EMR to EHR

More healthcare organizations are moving from EMRs to EHRs to support their growth trajectory. To reap the most benefits and minimize disruption, providers must take steps to ensure a seamless transition. 

The Benefits of Upgrading to an EHR

Many healthcare organizations transition to EHRs as they scale or join networks to enable seamless patient data exchange with other providers. EHRs offer interoperability standards and tools to streamline care coordination and help organizations comply with evolving healthcare regulations. For example, secure data transfer is essential for HIPAA compliance, while data-sharing capabilities support adherence to the 21st Century Cures Act.

EHRs can better support multi-location practices or organizations with complex care delivery models like ACOs. They offer robust integration and automation features to help improve operational efficiency. They also reduce long-term costs associated with manual data handling, delays, redundancies and compliance penalties.

Moreover, EHRs provide a holistic view of a patient’s history to support accurate decision-making. They offer patient portal functionalities, allowing patients to access their health information to foster communication and trust. The improved patient experience empowers users to become more involved in their care plans, leading to better treatment outcomes.

How To Orchestrate a Successful Transition

Transitioning from an EMR to an EHR is a substantial undertaking. Here are the key steps to achieve the best outcomes:

1. Conduct a System Audit

Evaluate your EMR’s limitations to identify gaps and create a list of features you need in the new EHR. Also, catalog the data types and formats stored in the EMR (e.g., structured text, scanned documents, images) to determine migration requirements.

2. Select an EHR Platform

Evaluate your options’ integration capabilities and select an EHR that supports standards like HL7 FHIR for seamless data exchange. Also, use a solution that enables you to build a multi-tool ecosystem. For example, you may integrate Unite with an EHR to streamline data ingestion from multiple sources and enhance data management.

3. Plan and Execute Data Migration

Map data fields in the EMR to corresponding ones in the EHR. These include patient demographics, clinical notes and medication histories. Also, automate data conversion whenever possible. For instance, you may use AI and natural language processing (NLP) tools to convert unstructured data (e.g., scanned faxes or free-text fields) into structured formats for EHR consumption. Conduct test migrations to identify issues like data mismatches or incomplete transfers before the transition.

4. Evaluate Infrastructure and Technical Readiness

Verify that your existing hardware and third-party systems can support the EHR. Consider upgrading network bandwidth and security protocols to handle increased data exchange demands.

5. Provide User Training and Optimize Workflows

Train staff on EHR functionalities, building on their knowledge of the EMR system and addressing new functions like automated data ingestion, patient portal management and interoperability features. Additionally, redesign workflows when necessary to fully leverage the EHR’s capabilities (e.g., automated referral management, care coordination and reporting).

6. Orchestrate a Phased Rollout

Start with a pilot phase and roll out the EHR to a subset of users or departments to identify challenges, resolve issues and gather feedback. Monitor performance metrics like data exchange latency, user error rates and patient satisfaction to inform targeted improvements before the organization-wide launch.

Building a Robust Multi-Tool Ecosystem with eFax Corporate and Unite

Building a multi-tool ecosystem around your EHR is critical for seamless data exchange, interoperability and operational efficiency. 

eFax Corporate integrates with Unite to provide a unified platform for ingesting and managing patient data across various sources, formats and workflows. Healthcare professionals can streamline communication and achieve data fluidity and digital interoperability while eliminating time-consuming manual tasks so they can focus on care delivery. 

eFax Corporate is a HITRUST CSF-certified digital faxing solution. It enables secure, HIPAA-compliant transmission of patient data without the inefficiencies of traditional paper faxing. Meanwhile, Unite offers a single interface to manage data exchange across various communication channels. For example, it can automatically parse, structure and ingest documents received via eFax Corporate into the EHR system.

The integration automates workflows and eliminates redundant processes, reducing errors and delays in patient care and eliminating the cost of manual data handling. It also supports secure data exchange to ensure compliance with HIPAA, HITRUST and other healthcare regulations. Moreover, the instant transformation of unstructured fax data into structured EHR-compatible formats enables clinicians to gain faster access to actionable insights.

The Future of Patient Data Management

While EMRs have their use cases, EHRs’ scalability and interoperability make them the obvious choice for healthcare providers that need to support seamless data exchange with external organizations and automate processes to enhance staff productivity. Additionally, EHRs integrate with advanced data management tools like Unite, which improves data management and fluidity critical for modern healthcare practices.