The interoperability of electronic medical record (EMR) systems remains a significant challenge, despite high adoption rates. Sharing patient data between hospitals or physician offices using different EMR platforms is difficult due to a lack of standardization and diverse data formats. This hampers healthcare processes, frustrates healthcare workers, and undermines the benefits of EMR systems. However, efforts to standardize data and develop extraction software are underway, offering hope for improved data compatibility and accessibility in the future.
The interoperability of electronic medical record (EMR) systems remains a significant challenge, despite high adoption rates. Even though EMR systems have been adopted by more than 90% of medical facilities in the United States, the ability to share patient data across different EMR platforms used by hospitals or physician offices remains a significant challenge.
EMR systems play a crucial role in maintaining accurate patient records within the healthcare industry. These systems consolidate various data, including immunizations, allergies, health concerns, assessments, procedures, treatment plans, and goals, into a digital patient record. This record can then be shared with patients and other healthcare facilities. According to GlobalData, there are currently over 600 EMR system companies worldwide, with the market expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7% and reach a value of $54.9 billion by 2028. In their recent report, “Electronic Medical Record (EMR) Systems: Thematic Intelligence,” GlobalData emphasizes the critical role of EMR systems in facilitating healthcare processes and communication among medical professionals, healthcare providers, and patients in today’s digital age.
While the adoption of EMR systems has been widespread among medical facilities due to their ability to enhance organization, accessibility, and streamline administrative tasks through integration with billing software, the promised benefits have not been fully realized. Despite the high adoption rate in the US, the challenge lies in sharing EMR patient data with hospitals or physician offices that use different EMR platforms. The lack of standardization has resulted in a diverse range of data formats used for storing patient information. This diversity allows medical practices to choose systems and providers that meet their specific needs, expectations, and budget constraints. However, it also creates difficulties when attempting to share patient files between facilities utilizing different EMR systems. Specialists, in particular, may have unique EMR requirements compared to general physicians, exacerbating the problem.
Transferring data between incompatible systems can lead to incomplete or corrupted information, posing serious health risks. Inadequate connectivity between EMR systems is frustrating for healthcare workers and patients alike. Often, care providers must retake a patient’s medical history upon arrival, even though it has been previously recorded at another facility. This can result in missed information, longer patient visits, increased burdens on healthcare workers, and ultimately undermine the advantages of digitally accessible and shareable records.
The recent epidemic has witnessed significant growth in remote patient monitoring and telehealth solutions, both heavily reliant on data. This presents a unique opportunity for EMR system providers to incorporate large volumes of patient-generated data into their records. However, it further underscores the need for solutions that address data compatibility and accessibility challenges. Manufacturers are actively working towards standardizing data and developing extraction software to convert between existing formats. Regulatory bodies also play a crucial role in setting data compatibility standards. These changes have the potential to enable medical facilities to fully leverage the benefits offered by EMR systems.
