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New report clarifies common health IT definitions
05/21/2008
CHICAGO—The National Alliance for Health Information Technology has released a new report, which aims to clarify the definitions of common terms used in health information technology. The lack of clear terminology can lead to unintentional consequences for regulation, other forms of healthcare policy, contract and purchasing decisions and other health IT initiatives, according to the Alliance. At the start of the project, the Alliance reviewed existing literature and found between 18 and 63 definitions for each of five key health IT terms: electronic medical record (EMR), electronic health record (EHR), personal health record (PHR), health information exchange (HIE) and regional health information organization (RHIO). To battle the ambiguity, two expert work groups met to develop definitions for these five terms. During the discussions, the work group added a sixth term, health information organization, because of dual interpretations of HIE as both a process and an organization. Click here to view the report, called “Defining Key Health Information Technology Terms," which includes new definitions for six common health IT terms. The report was funded by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology. The following are the six newly defined health IT terms in the report. Electronic Medical Record: An electronic record of health-related information on an individual that can be created, gathered, managed and consulted by authorized clinicians and staff within one healthcare organization. Electronic Health Record: An electronic record of health-related information on an individual that conforms to nationally recognized interoperability standards and that can be created, managed and consulted by authorized clinicians and staff across more than one healthcare organization. Personal Health Record: An electronic record of health-related information on an individual that conforms to nationally recognized interoperability standards and that can be drawn from multiple sources while being managed, shared, and controlled by the individual. Health Information Exchange: The electronic movement of health-related information among organizations according to nationally recognized standards. Health Information Organization: An organization that oversees and governs the exchangeof health-related information among organizations according to nationally recognized standards. Regional Health Information Organization: A health information organization that brings together health care stakeholders within a defined geographic area and governs health information exchange among them for the purpose of improving health and care in that community. “We have developed what we believe to be clear, consistent definitions that offer both immediate and longer-term, practical benefits," said Jane Horowitz, the Alliance’s chief marketing officer, who has led the ONC project. "We have proposed language that is easily understood by non-technical leaders in health care delivery, policymakers with responsibility and accountability for decisions in the area of health IT, consumers who are being asked to participate more fully in their care and wellness and need education tools to do so.”
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