Working on standardization of electronic health records: Health ministry

New Delhi: The Health Ministry has notified Electronic Health Record (EHR) Standards Version 2016 for India in December 2016 with an intent to bring standardization and homogeneity, inter-operability in the capture, storage, transmission and use of healthcare information across various Health information technology (IT) systems. This was stated by the Minister of State (Health and Family Welfare), Mrs Anupriya Patel recently in the lower house of the Indian Parliament (Lok Sabha).

The earlier version of EHR Standards was notified during September 2013.

The Minister informed that the efforts are being made with the healthcare providers and other stakeholders for the adoption of these standards. “All the States/UTs Government have also been advised to adopt the EHR Standards in all the IT applications in healthcare with support under National Health Mission,” she said.

With the advent of the envisaged system of EHRs of citizens in an inter-operable manner pan-nation, online availability and accessibility would be ensured. This would facilitate continuity of care, better health outcome and better decision support system and is expected to help in reducing expenditure on avoidable repetitive and similar diagnostic tests.