electronic health record

What is an electronic health record?

An electronic health record (EHR) is a record of a patient's medical history, maintained in electronic form. Each of a patient's medical providers can contribute to and access the patient's electronic health record in real time, making it easier for medical providers to coordinate the patient's care.

Electronic health records help to reduce medical errors and duplicate procedures, improve efficiency in health care delivery, and make it easier for patients to access their medical records. The adoption and use of electronic health records were strengthened by the 2009 Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act and the 2010 Affordable Care Act (ACA).¹