The Vanderbilt Experience with Electronic Health Records

Electronic health records, including computerized physician order entry (CPOE) and electronic medical record (EMR) systems, reduce medical errors, improve communication and overall health care quality, and decrease cost. Over the last decade, we have developed the WizOrder CPOE and StarPanel EMR systems to address these goals. We discuss key elements of each of these systems, which are an indispensable part of health care at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. We envision an exciting future with more widely available computerized health records in both academic and community health care centers, ultimately leading to a cheaper, more efficient, and better US health care system.