By Healthcare Brew Staff
less than 3 min read
Definition:
Electronic health records (EHRs) are digital versions of a patient’s medical history and can include demographic info, immunization records, lab data, and more. EHRs can be updated and edited by providers.
What are the benefits of EHRs?
The biggest perk of using EHRs is that these digital systems speed up the process of transferring health information to new providers, and they make it more efficient to update records during appointments. (See: Hospitals in the early 2000s, when everyone was handwriting all notes.)
Beyond that, they also help spot potential errors, reduce treatment delays, and allow patients to have more access to health information to make better, more informed decisions.
What are the downsides of EHRs?
As with any digital tool, EHRs are at risk of cyberattacks and ransomware attacks. For instance, when health tech company Change Healthcare experienced its infamous 2024 cyberattack, digital systems like insurance information, scheduling, and sensitive data of 190 million patients were exposed.
Further, EHR juggernaut Epic has long dominated the space, making it hard for providers to seek alternatives (though it was sued in late 2024 for alleged “monopolist” practices).
How does artificial intelligence factor into EHRs?
And in a surprise to probably no one, there’s been a lot of artificial intelligence (AI) development with EHRs, keeping pace with the shift in healthcare overall.
For instance, Nashville-based HCA Healthcare announced in August 2023 it would roll Google Cloud’s generative AI features into its EHRs, and tech giant Oracle’s co-founder and chief technology officer said in early 2025 the company’s AI could potentially be used in EHRs to help providers care for patients.
