Tag Archives: #EMR

Each minute of our life is a lesson but most of us fail to read it. I thought I would just add my daily lessons and the lessons that I learned by seeing the people around here. So it may be useful for you and as memories for me.

Digital transformation in healthcare continues to accelerate in 2025, with electronic medical records (EMR) and electronic health records (EHR) at the core of operational efficiency, patient engagement, and regulatory compliance. For healthcare businesses—ranging from multi-specialty hospitals to outpatient clinics—open source EHR/EMR platforms provide a unique combination of affordability, scalability, and adaptability.

In today’s healthcare ecosystem, Electronic Health Records (EHRs) are no longer just digital files they are the backbone of modern patient care. They provide clinicians with real-time access to a single, unified patient record, ensuring safer decision-making, fewer delays, and more time focused on patients rather than paperwork.

From my own work in healthcare, I’ve seen firsthand how difficult it can be for clinicians to deliver quality care without proper EHR systems. Consultations often get slowed down by flipping through scattered files, repeating lab tests because past results aren’t visible, or relying purely on memory to track complex patient histories. These gaps don’t just frustrate clinicians they can compromise patient safety and the overall patient experience.

An Electronic Health Record (EHR) is a type of healthcare software that digitally collects, organizes, and shares patient information. It ensures that medical data is available in a structured format and can be accessed by all authorized parties involved in patient care — from doctors, labs, and pharmacies to hospitals, registries, and patients themselves.

The idea of an electronic patient record isn’t new. More than 50 years ago, the first prototype — called the Problem-Oriented Medical Record (POMR) — was introduced. It brought together a patient’s full clinical history, a list of health problems, a treatment plan, daily progress notes, and a discharge summary. This framework set the stage for the EHRs we use today, with their focus on comprehensive records and continuity of care.

This is where effective EHRs make the difference. They:

• Centralize patient data across clinics, hospitals, and pharmacies.
• Reduce errors with accurate records of labs, allergies, and prescriptions.
• Improve efficiency, freeing up more time for clinicians to engage with patients.
• Enable population health insights, helping health systems manage risks and improve long-term outcomes.

In short, EHRs empower providers to deliver better, safer, and more connected care. Below is a look at the Top 20 EHR systems worldwide, their origins, and standout features.

1. Epic Systems

• Country: United States
• Developer: Epic Systems Corporation
• Features: Large hospital and academic medical center focus; interoperability; analytics and population health management; widely recognized leader in usability and scale.

2. Oracle Health (Cerner)

• Country: United States
• Developer: Oracle Health (formerly Cerner)
• Features: Millennium platform; strong in hospitals and government health projects; open APIs; global presence; AI-driven decision support.

3. MEDITECH

• Country: United States
• Developer: MEDITECH Inc.
• Features: Acute/community hospital focus; scalable for small hospitals; strong workflows for clinicians; growing international footprint.

4. Athenahealth

• Country: United States
• Developer: Athenahealth, Inc.
• Features: Cloud-based; practice management, billing, telehealth; population health insights; ideal for ambulatory/outpatient practices.

5. NextGen Healthcare

• Country: United States
• Developer: NextGen Healthcare, Inc.
• Features: Specialty-specific templates; patient portal and telehealth; revenue cycle management; good fit for mid-sized practices.

6. eClinicalWorks (eCW)

• Country: United States
• Developer: eClinicalWorks
• Features: Cloud/mobile EHR; telehealth and patient engagement tools; affordable for small-medium practices; population health integration.

7. Greenway Health

• Country: United States
• Developer: Greenway Health, LLC
• Features: Ambulatory EHR; built-in RCM; customizable workflows; responsive customer support.

8. Veradigm (Allscripts)

• Country: United States
• Developer: Veradigm (formerly Allscripts)
• Features: Ambulatory solutions with open APIs; scheduling and billing; modular design for specialties; broad adoption across practices.

9. Practice Fusion

• Country: United States
• Developer: Veradigm (Practice Fusion)
• Features: Affordable, web-based EHR; e-prescribing; lab integration; best for small practices.

10. AdvancedMD

• Country: United States
• Developer: AdvancedMD, Inc.
• Features: SaaS-based EHR; telemedicine; customizable templates; analytics; tailored for small-to-mid practices.

11. Dedalus

• Country: Italy
• Developer: Dedalus Group
• Features: Europe’s largest health IT vendor; integrated EHR, lab, and imaging systems; focus on interoperability across EU; strong NHS presence.

12. InterSystems TrakCare

• Country: United States
• Developer: InterSystems Corporation
• Features: Global EHR with strong adoption in Europe, Middle East, APAC; unified patient record; advanced analytics and FHIR support.

13. EMIS Health

• Country: United Kingdom
• Developer: EMIS Health (part of Optum)
• Features: Market leader in UK primary care; EMIS Web widely used; prescription ordering, patient portals; integration across GP and pharmacy.

14. SystmOne (TPP)

• Country: United Kingdom
• Developer: The Phoenix Partnership (TPP)
• Features: Widely used in UK NHS primary and community care; real-time record sharing; mobile access for clinicians.

15. Vision (Cegedim)

• Country: United Kingdom
• Developer: Cegedim Healthcare Solutions
• Features: Primary care EHR in the UK; intuitive prescribing; data sharing across practices; strong GP usability.

16. CareCloud

• Country: United States
• Developer: CareCloud, Inc.
• Features: Cloud-based EHR + practice management; RCM and billing; telemedicine; customizable and user-friendly.

17. DrChrono

• Country: United States
• Developer: DrChrono, Inc.
• Features: Mobile-first on iPad/iPhone; appointment scheduling; telehealth; ideal for small-mid practices.

18. Kareo Clinical

• Country: United States
• Developer: Kareo, Inc.
• Features: Cloud-based; integrated billing and RCM; patient engagement; affordable for independent practices.

19. ModMed (Modernizing Medicine)

• Country: United States
• Developer: Modernizing Medicine, Inc.
• Features: Specialty-specific EHRs (dermatology, ophthalmology, etc.); AI-powered coding/documentation; telehealth and analytics.

20. GE Healthcare (Centricity / Virence)

• Country: United States
• Developer: GE Healthcare
• Features: Enterprise hospital deployments; integration with imaging; clinical documentation and order entry; still influential in hospital IT.

Final Thoughts

EHRs are not one-size-fits-all. While giants like Epic and Oracle Health dominate global hospitals, regional leaders like EMIS, SystmOne, and Vision play a vital role in UK primary care. Similarly, agile systems like DrChrono or Kareo empower small practices with affordable, cloud-based tools.

The real value of an EHR lies in how well it supports clinicians and patients together — enabling safer care, reducing waste, and building trust. As healthcare continues to digitalize, these systems will shape the future of how we deliver care worldwide.

If you wanna share your experiences, you can find me online in all your favorite places  LinkedIn and Facebook. Shoot me a DM, a tweet, a comment, or whatever works best for you. I’ll be the one trying to figure out how to read books and get better at playing ping pong at the same time.