This tweet tried to define the difference between EMR and EHR:
A clear take on #EHR vs #EMR via @histalk. Yes, there actually is a difference, but it’s not that hard to recognize. http://t.co/Bs4rUMUQk4
— Michael L. Grabowski (@MikeLGrabowski) July 24, 2014
Let me make it even simpler:
EMR and EHR are the same and used interchangeably!
That’s all.
I agree, John, and I think I would take it a step further. Since most systems have evolved and adopted advanced functionality, what if we put EMR to pasture and just went with EHR?
Michael,
It’s interesting because most doctors still use EMR instead of EHR. I don’t think you put words to pasture. If it were only that easy. At the end of the day, words are about communication and either term communicates the same thing. So, it doesn’t matter to me. Except that EMR doesn’t autocorrect and EHR gets autocorrected to HER. So, I guess EMR might be better and we should put EHR to pasture;-)
In my experience too, more providers use the term EMR. I implemented a product with EHR in the title and throughout the implementation process, providers would gradually switch to HER – Er, I mean, EHR. I think that supports your point that both words communicate the same concept to them.
Keeping both terms is convenient for you and your blog/domain name, however 😉 That doesn’t influence your position any, right?
Definitely influences my position. I guess that’s why I prefer EMR since I have EMRandHIPAA.com and EMRThoughts.com, but I also have EHRvideos.com and plenty of others. I deliberately use EMR and EHR in the same post interchangably since I think it doesn’t matter. From an SEO perspective I think that EHR has surpassed EMR for searches or it’s close. Hmmm…I think I just figured out a new blog post 😉
I always liked E*R. 🙂
[…] I love how academic Practice Fusion tries to make the discussion. I thought I made the discussion of EMR vs EHR much simpler. […]
Agree!
From a linguistics POV, the whole “EMR” vs “EHR” is a classic Distinction without a Difference debate.
http://m.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-distinction-without-a-difference.htm
When people make a big deal about it, it’s usually really about turf or politics.
–Chuck
Oh! One more thing 🙂
“EHR” Has Finally Caught Up With “EMR” In Google Trends
http://chuckwebster.com/2013/04/ehr-workflow/ehr-has-finally-caught-up-with-emr-in-google-trends
Chuck,
Thanks for the chart. What’s interesting is that the EMR search term hasn’t fallen at all. The EHR search term just came up to the EMR term.