title: Electronic health records and US public health: current realities and future promise.
abstract: Electronic health records (EHRs) could contribute to improving population health in the United States. Realizing this potential will require understanding what EHRs can realistically offer to efforts to improve population health, the requirements for obtaining useful information from EHRs, and a plan for addressing these requirements. Potential contributions of EHRs to improving population health include better understanding of the level and distribution of disease, function, and well-being within populations. Requirements are improved population coverage of EHRs, standardized EHR content and reporting methods, and adequate legal authority for using EHRs, particularly for population health. A collaborative national effort to address the most pressing prerequisites for and barriers to the use of EHRs for improving population health is needed to realize the EHR's potential.
authors.affiliation: Public Health Informatics Institute, Decatur, GA, USA. friedman.daniel.jay@gmail.com
authors.forename: Daniel J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Friedman
authors.forename: R Gibson
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Parrish
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Ross
mesh_terms: D057286:Electronic Health Records / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000639:trends; D005544:Forecasting; D020408:Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act; D006291:Health Policy; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D011634:Public Health / Q000639:trends; D014481:United States