Fred Trotter

Healthcare Data Journalist

PHR

Defining terms

(Update August 9th 2016: This site has been dead for some time. But there is a wayback machine link that lives on)

NAHIT has released its definitions.

In summary:

An EMR is a record for the doctor.

An EHR is a record for the doctors. (with data ready to move)

A PHR is a record for the patient.

A HIE is the process of moving health data.

A HIO is a O that does HIE.

A RHIO is a HIO that is Regional.

Well now that that is settled, I am sure that the whole industry will stop using the terms EMR and EHR interchangeably. I am sure that no one will refer to a RHIO as an HIE.

Thank God for the government.

-FT

4 thoughts on “Defining terms

  1. Nice snarky commentary, Fred, and right on the money. Except that NAHIT is a private organization. Hope you enjoyed your $7 beer tonight.

  2. I probably should have mentioned that my sarcasm was reserved for Office of the National Coordinator of Health Information Technology who funded the study.

    I rarely drink beer. Even more rarely expensive beer 🙂

    -FT

  3. I thought I would find objection to all that, but I don’t. It will take time for these definitions to take hold in the market, but what’s wrong with clarity?

    God knows I wasted months before figuring out the difference between a PHR and an EMR. Missy Krasner of Google finally set me straight at HIMSS, and I thank God every day for people like her.

    And you, too, Fred.

  4. Thanks…

    I hope in the end it does bring clarity. But as long as some profit from ambiguity, I am not sure it will ever be clear.

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