What is an Electronic Health Record (EHR)?

• A. An electronic record of patient health information that includes all services rendered in a healthcare institution
• B. A paper chart
• C. A personal health app
• D. A laboratory information system

Answer: (A)

An Electronic Health Record is an electronic record of a patient’s health information created and maintained by healthcare providers within a clinical setting, including data from multiple encounters and services. It covers diagnoses, medications, treatment plans, immunizations, labs, imaging, and clinician notes, all accessible to authorized users across the care team to support coordinated decision-making. This scope—a comprehensive, shareable record used across services within a healthcare organization—sets it apart from a paper chart (physical record), a personal health app (patient-owned and often not integrated into the clinical workflow), and a laboratory information system (focused mainly on lab data and workflows). So the description that highlights an electronic record of patient health information including all services rendered in a healthcare institution best defines an EHR.