An electronic medical record system (EMR) is an interactive database that contains a comprehensive record of patients' medical histories. An electronic medical record replicates a paper chart and contains both clinical information (diagnoses, allergies,drug resistance and treatments) and demographic information about a patient; it provides a comprehensive medical picture and can be used by clinicians as a tool to determine appropriate treatment for patients.

PIH has developed a web-based EMR to support our work, and to track patients, treatment regimens and pharmaceutical needs at our sites around the world. EMR technology provides a central repository of information about patients and medications. It is particularly important for the PIH care model, which depends on large numbers of community health workers working with doctors, nurses, social workers, and pharmacists to deliver medicines and respond to patients’ needs. The EMR system has helped us to maintain accurate medical records, deliver laboratory results, and keep supplies well-stocked.

The following section describes the history of the PIH-EMR, its different functions, requirements, and suggestions for implementation. To learn more, please visit the Recommended EMR Articles on the right. We will update this section as the PIH-EMR grows and evolves. In the meantime, we welcome your comments, examples and lessons learned from your experiences building and using electronic medical systems in resource-poor settings.