Electronic Health Records
Electronic Health Records (EHR) are digital versions of patients' paper charts that contain comprehensive medical histories, diagnoses, medications, treatment plans, immunization dates, allergies, radiology images, and laboratory test results. They are designed to be shared across different healthcare settings, enabling authorized providers to access and update patient information securely. EHR systems streamline clinical workflows, improve care coordination, and support data-driven decision-making in healthcare.
Developers should learn EHR systems when building healthcare applications, telemedicine platforms, or health data analytics tools, as they provide standardized interfaces for accessing and managing patient data. This is crucial for compliance with regulations like HIPAA in the US or GDPR in Europe, ensuring secure handling of sensitive health information. Use cases include integrating with EHR APIs for appointment scheduling, billing, or clinical decision support systems.