What is an electronic health record?
An electronic health record is a patient's medical information stored on a computer system instead of in paper files. It is created and maintained by the healthcare provider who treats you, and it records your diagnoses, medicines, test results, scans, treatment plans and visit notes.
You will also hear electronic medical record (EMR) and health electronic records. In everyday use the terms overlap. Strictly, an EMR is the digital file inside one clinic or hospital, while an EHR is meant to be shareable between providers. For most patients the difference matters less than who holds the record and who can see it.
What is in an EHR?
- Your registration details, such as name, age, address and contact numbers
- Medical history, allergies and long-term conditions
- Doctors' notes from each visit
- Prescriptions and medicines given
- Laboratory results and imaging such as X-rays and scans
- Admission and discharge summaries
- Vaccination records
- Billing and insurance information
How EHR systems work in a hospital
When you register at a hospital that uses electronic records, your details are entered once. Each time you see a doctor, nurse or lab, they add to the same file. A lab result reaches the doctor's screen without being carried on paper, and a pharmacist can see what was prescribed.
These systems are run by EHR software that hospitals buy or build. Large hospital networks often use one system across their branches. Smaller clinics may use simpler software or still keep paper files. This is why your records are usually spread across several places, and why keeping your own copy helps.
Benefits of electronic health records
- Faster access. A doctor can open your history in seconds, even in an emergency.
- Fewer repeated tests. Earlier results are visible, so the same test is less likely to be done again.
- Clearer notes. Typed records avoid the problem of unreadable handwriting.
- Safety checks. Systems can flag allergies or medicines that should not be combined.
- Less paper to lose. Records are backed up and are not damaged by water or fire in the way paper is.
Limits patients should know about
- Records are fragmented. Each provider has its own system, and they often do not talk to each other.
- You may not see them. Many hospitals do not give patients online access. You may have to ask for copies, and the process varies by hospital.
- Quality varies. A record is only as complete as the notes that were entered.
- Security depends on the provider. Safe handling of data relies on each organisation's practices. Ask how a provider protects and shares your data.
EHR and personal health record: how they fit together
An EHR is the hospital's view of your health. A personal health record is your view. The EHR records what that provider did. Your own record collects reports and prescriptions from all providers, plus things the hospital never sees, such as home blood pressure readings and the medicines you buy over the counter.
| Electronic health record (EHR) | Personal health record (PHR) | |
|---|---|---|
| Held by | Hospital or clinic | You or your family |
| Scope | One provider, or one network | Everything, from every provider |
| Written by | Doctors, nurses, labs | You, plus uploaded documents |
| Best for | Treatment inside that hospital | Continuity, second opinions, family care |
Read more in our complete guide to personal health records, which explains what to keep and how to organise it for each family member.
Electronic records in India
India's government has promoted digital health records through the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM), which includes the voluntary ABHA health ID. The aim is that, with your consent, records from participating hospitals and labs can be linked to your ABHA and viewed by you. Participation depends on the provider, so coverage is uneven.
Details on ABDM change over time. For current steps, eligibility and what is covered, check the official ABDM website rather than relying on summaries, including this one.