Direct comparison
EHR vs EMR: Definitions and Certification
EHR vs EMR: ONC's informal distinction, the 45 CFR 170.102 regulatory definition of an EHR, and how certification works. Sources read November 2026.
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How do EMR (electronic medical record), EHR (electronic health record) compare side by side?
The table below compares EMR (electronic medical record), EHR (electronic health record) across 10 procurement-relevant dimensions, from plain-language definition through source.
Side-by-side comparison
| Dimension | EMR (electronic medical record) | EHR (electronic health record) |
|---|---|---|
| Plain-language definition | A digital version of the paper chart in the clinician's office (ONC, 2011). | An electronic record designed to reach beyond the health organization that originally collects and compiles the information (ONC, 2011). |
| Scope | Information held within a practice. | Information that can be created, managed and consulted by authorized clinicians and staff across more than one healthcare organization (National Alliance for Health IT definition, quoted by ONC). |
| Data sharing | ONC says the information 'doesn't travel easily out of the practice'. | Designed to reach beyond the organization that created it. |
| Federal regulatory definition | An informal term from ONC's 2011 distinction; the regulatory definitions in 45 CFR 170.102 are written for EHRs. | 45 CFR 170.102 defines 'Base EHR' and 'Qualified EHR' as an electronic record of health-related information on an individual that includes patient demographic and clinical health information, such as medical history and problem lists, and has the capacity to provide clinical decision support, support physician order entry, capture and query information relevant to healthcare quality, and exchange electronic health information with, and integrate such information from, other sources. |
| Where certification enters | Certification is not part of the informal 'EMR' label. | A 'Base EHR' under 45 CFR 170.102 additionally 'has been certified' to the listed criteria; a 'Qualified EHR' omits the certification prong. |
| How certification works | Not applicable to the term itself. | ONC's Health IT Certification Program is voluntary. ONC-ACBs make certification decisions, ONC-ATLs test conformance, and the Certified Health IT Product List (CHPL) lists successfully tested and certified health IT modules. |
| Research use | ONC's 2011 framing places the EMR inside the practice that holds it. | FDA's real-world evidence program names EHRs among real-world data sources, alongside claims and registries. |
| Brand names (for example Epic) | A product name is not a category; whether a deployment behaves as an EMR depends on how it is used and connected (editorial interpretation). | Likewise: the term describes function and interoperability, not a vendor. Certified products are checkable on CHPL (editorial interpretation). |
| When to use each term | When you mean the record inside one practice or organization, or when quoting a source that says 'EMR'. | When you mean cross-organization sharing, a federal-program context, or a certified product. |
| Source | ONC/HealthIT.gov blog, 'EMR vs EHR - What is the Difference?' (4 Jan 2011), read 2026-11-07. | 45 CFR 170.102 (eCFR) and HealthIT.gov certification process page, read 2026-11-07. |
Common questions
Common questions about EMR (electronic medical record) vs EHR (electronic health record)
What is another name for EMR?
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EMR stands for electronic medical record. In everyday usage it is often used interchangeably with EHR, although ONC's 2011 distinction treats an EMR as the practice-level digital chart and an EHR as a record designed to be shared across organizations.
What counts as an EHR?
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Under 45 CFR 170.102, a Base EHR is an electronic record of health-related information on an individual that includes demographic and clinical health information, can provide clinical decision support, support physician order entry, capture and query quality-relevant information and exchange electronic health information with other sources, and has been certified to the listed criteria. A Qualified EHR meets the same capability tests without the certification prong.
Is Epic an EMR or an EHR?
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Epic is a vendor product, while EMR and EHR are categories. Which label fits depends on function and interoperability, and on certification if the regulatory sense is meant, not on the brand (editorial interpretation). The certification status of a product can be checked on ONC's CHPL.
What different EHR systems are there?
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There is no single official list of system types. ONC publishes the Certified Health IT Product List (CHPL), the authoritative listing of successfully tested and certified health IT modules, which is the place to see which products are certified.
Is EHR certification required?
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ONC describes its Health IT Certification Program as voluntary. Developers who take part register with an ONC-ACB and an ONC-ATL; certification is what distinguishes a Base EHR in 45 CFR 170.102 from a Qualified EHR.
Does EHR vs EMR change the cost?
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The terms do not set a price. Neither ONC's distinction nor 45 CFR 170.102 says anything about cost, so cost depends on the product and arrangement, not on whether it is labelled EMR or EHR.
