An electronic health record is best described as a?

An electronic health record (EHR) is best described as a comprehensive collection of information regarding a patient that is accessible by multiple healthcare providers at different facilities. This definition emphasizes the collaborative nature of EHRs, allowing various health professionals to input and share critical data about a patient’s health history, treatment plans, lab results, and other medical information. Such a system improves patient care by facilitating better communication and continuity of care among providers, as all involved parties have access to the same detailed information.

In contrast, descriptions such as a single provider's notes about a patient reduce the EHR to a narrow scope, missing the broader collaboration aspect integral to EHRs. Similarly, viewing an EHR strictly as a payment record overlooks its primary function of tracking patient health rather than billing purposes. Lastly, categorizing an EHR merely as cloud-based storage of patient images neglects other significant elements, as EHRs encompass a wide range of patient data, not just images.