Types of data stored in electronic health records

Official Website of the Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy/Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT

Certification of Health IT

Health Information Technology Advisory Committee (HITAC)

Health Equity

HTI-1 Final Rule

HTI-2 Proposed Rule

Information Blocking

Interoperability

Patient Access to Health Records

Clinical Quality and Safety

Health IT and Health Information Exchange Basics

Health IT in Health Care Settings

Health IT Resources

Laws, Regulation, and Policy

ONC Funding Opportunities

ONC HITECH Programs

Privacy, Security, and HIPAA

Scientific Initiatives

Standards & Technology

Usability and Provider Burden

Electronic Health Records: The Basics

An electronic health record (EHR) contains patient health information, such as:

• Administrative and billing data
• Patient demographics
• Progress notes
• Vital signs
• Medical histories
• Diagnoses
• Medications
• Immunization dates
• Allergies
• Radiology images
• Lab and test results

An EHR is more than just a computerized version of a paper chart in a provider’s office. It’s a digital record that can provide comprehensive health information about your patients. EHR systems are built to share information with other health care providers and organizations – such as laboratories, specialists, medical imaging facilities, pharmacies, emergency facilities, and school and workplace clinics – so they contain information from all clinicians involved in a patient’s care.

For More Information

For more information on EHR systems, see the following resources.

• Benefits of Electronic Health Records
• How to Implement EHRs
• What are the advantages of electronic health records?
• What is an electronic health record?
• EMR vs EHR – What is the Difference?