Digital images and the electronic patient record in the 21st century.

Abstract

The author has previously outlined the concept of Electronic Patient Records (EPR) and Electronic Health Records (EHR), as well as the role that Medical Illustration as a professional body should play in national programmes in this connection. This paper provides an update on the EPR and EHR programmes, assessing how far these programmes have developed in that time, and attempts to identify in more detail the potential role of medical illustrators. The original paper sought not to define the technical standards required for the collection, storage and distribution of digital images, but simply to clarify the EPR and EHR objectives, and suggest that those with expertise in this specific area should become actively engaged in the strategic planning of EPRs. This paper reiterates those objectives.