The DoD Trauma Registry Versus the Electronic Health Record

There is a widely prevailing belief that electronic health records and data registries are the same, or that registries can be replaced by electronic health records given the advances in technology. While information systems have revolutionized documentation of medical care, distinctions continue to exist. This article will clear the confusion between the two systems, using the Joint Trauma System's (JTS) Department of Defense (DoD) Trauma Registry (DoDTR), the approved enterprise wide trauma registry for the military, as an example.