letter to editor: electronic medical record, step toward improving the quality of healthcare services and treatment provided to patients

information technology can increase the quality of medical care and is a target for many of the pioneers in the development of clinical or medical information. electronic medical record (emr), one of such technologies, is a well-known and valuable system to access patient information in hospitals. electronic medical records which are used for the purpose of providing basic health care are available through a network of computers. all units of the hospital such as examination room, conference room, emergency, patient care units, nursing stations, operating rooms, recovery units, laboratory, radiology, pharmacy and medical records should have access to it. among its advantages are improved quality of care provided to patients, better organized information, improvement in the timeliness of the process, accuracy and completeness of documentation, patient access to electronic copies of records, prevention of medication errors and allergies, reduced medical errors, immediate access to information in different places, decision support technology and improvement in the process of doing . s urely the use of electronic medical records has created a new dimension to patient care and clinical practice and will provide a comprehensive system to support people in the community and enhance the quality of services provided to them.