Towards Connected Care: Why Pakistan Needs Integrated Electronic Health Records

Pakistan's healthcare system remains largely fragmented and paper-based, despite global momentum toward integrated, digital health models. This viewpoint stresses the need for interoperable electronic health records (EHRs) in Pakistan, drawing on lessons from both developed and resource-limited settings. The lack of an integrated system leads to medical errors, redundant testing, and suboptimal coordination, thereby compromising both patient safety and quality of care. Although Pakistan has a basic digital infrastructure, including NADRA, which provides a national identity framework, and health-sector tools such as the Health Management Information System and local digital health initiatives, these elements remain disconnected and underutilised. At this critical moment, an effective, culturally sensitive approach based on global best practices but moulded for local circumstances is needed. Key priorities include the establishment of national interoperability standards, the active involvement of all stakeholders, clinician training, and patient education. Key Words: Electronic health records, Health management information system, Interoperability, Digital health, Pakistan.