Skip to main content
. 2015 Apr 14;15:27. doi: 10.1186/s12911-015-0152-8

Table 1.

EMR system functionalities available to and used by family physicians

EMR system functionalities Functional category Functionalities available Functionalities used
Functionality (% of systems) (% of physicians)
Clinical functionalities Clinical Notes and Patient History
Clinical notes 89% 83%
Past medical history 90% 79%
Family diseases/family history 86% 75%
Patient Care Management
Planning and coordination of patient care 64% 55%
Monitoring patients with chronic diseases 68% 53%
Reminder for guideline-based interventions and/or screening tests 43% 29%
Prescription Management and Patient Demographics
Patient demographics 89% 82%
Electronic alerts or prompts about a potential problem with drug use, dose or drug interactions 79% 59%
Electronic prescribing of medication 89% 80%
Communication functionalities Visualization of Results
All lab tests ordered are tracked until results reach clinicians 46% 39%
Viewing laboratory test results 88% 82%
Out-of-range test levels highlighted 65% 60%
Viewing imaging results 54% 51%
Communication with other Institutions
Access to medical records from other clinics/hospitals 36% 34%
Communication and follow-up with government agencies (e.g. a public health agency) 22% 18%
Electronic ordering of laboratory tests 49% 34%
Electronic referral to specialists 31% 27%
Electronic Transfers
Electronic transfer of prescription to pharmacy 15% 10%
Electronic transfer of test prescription to laboratory 44% 39%
Administrative functionalities Billing and Data Security
Billing management 78% 42%
Secure transmissions protecting patients’ health privacy 69% 61%
Remote Access and Appointment Scheduling
Accessibility of EMR remotely (from home or outside the clinic) 89% 68%
Accessibility of EMR when traveling (train, airport, mobile) 66% 35%
Patient appointment schedule management 92% 79%