The Veterans Health Administration: Quality, Value, Accountability, and Information as Transforming Strategies for Patient-Centered Care

Abstract Countries around the world are in need of electronic medical record (EMR) systems that meet their specific needs. This paper describes briefly the benefits of EMRs in developing countries. It focuses on the basic EMR information, including types of EMRs, components of EMRs, and already existing EMRs, in order to establish which EMR systems would be feasible and effective for specific situations. Electronic Medical Record Systems for Developing Countries: Review Structure of Systems A. Data Model • Flat file structures (spread-sheet like) as compared with relational databases B. Networks • Stand-alone • Systems which are deployed on a single machine • Local area networks • Wide area network solutions • Deployed across a much larger area Discussion When choosing which electronic medical record system to implement, one should consider the following factors: population, location, and availability of resources. OpenMRS may be the best choice for today's EMR