The electronic medical record: a valuable partner

Clinical technology within the U.S. healthcare system is among the most advanced in the world. Basic administrative capabilities are lagging, however. Lack of standardization affecting the ability to integrate diverse systems and the prohibitive costs associated with acquisition and implementation are two major obstacles to improving administrative capacities. This article describes the basics of electronic medical records (EMR) implementation failures and successes and the evolution of the electronic health record (EHR) as part of the future of healthcare IT and continuity of care.