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The healthcare industry must address all ethical implications in technology since it deals with highly sensitive information. As a result, a culture of ethical practices and standardized processes is nurtured. Electronic Health Record (EHR) systems are one technology that complies with ethical standards because of the way in which it handles patient information (Waegemann, 2003). Waegemann (2003) explains the purpose of EHR systems:
The concept of an EHR--electronic storage and instant availability of information to authorized practitioners--is often combined with the advantages of an electronic healthcare system, including enhanced access to medical information and greater efficiency. EHR promoters even claim that full access to health information might bring cures for certain diseases, such as AIDS. Healthcare is getting more complex every day. Today, multiple specialists are involved in most patients' healthcare, and paper records cannot keep practitioners completely informed. (p. 1)
EHRs play a pivotal role in keeping practitioners informed and connected. Its data can be collated and analyzed on a grander scale, thus enabling researchers to view and create trends about various health issues. It wasn’t until recently that EHRs became more widespread and accepted. According to Tripathi (2012), EHRs have undergone vast transformation in the past 50 years. Predecessors to EHRs existed in the 1960s and early ‘70s. In the 1990s, the modern EHR came into fruition and practice. EHRs were slowly implemented because a lack of standardization in the market and little motivation from providers (Waegemann, 2003).