Studies on the global perspective of the need of EHR's and industry challenges in its implementation. The need for healthcare providers to digitalize their patient care process has been on the rise since Covid-19 outbreak in 2020. More and more care seekers are looking for alternative approaches in handling healthcare processes that do not require them to step out often. The EHR market size is estimated at about $30 billion in 2023 with a growth rate of 4.1% to 2030*¹

Research shows that the driving factor for EHR's is the increasing demand to centralize and streamline healthcare administration and improve patient satisfaction. The pandemic not only shook the world as a disease with huge personal losses across the globe but stands as a huge setback in the health infrastructure a care provider can give. A visit to the hospital is no longer a simple process and demands a certain mental and physical effort from the individual with the struggle being more populations across age groups. The need of the hour is a model system that bridges the gap in delivering quality healthcare while reducing both the financial and HR burden on the management.

Digitally interconnected care is essential to combat the growing cases of chronic diseases and an ageing population with patient information that is accessible from anywhere, anytime by a healthcare professional giving medical guidance to a care seeker. A KPMG study highlights the importance of EHR's as summarized below*²:

• A siloed system of medical data, dated from birth to current
• Traceable exchange of information between clinicians and patients across specialties
• Interoperability of digital systems, interconnecting the departments in healthcare from encounter history, Inpatient charts, laboratories to pharmacies and billing

An Electronic Health Record is more than just a data repository, but has high value in completing the circle for a patient visit seamlessly bending the challenges faced in healthcare systems by providing continuity to care a digitally. Advancements in technology and innovation in healthcare bring about effective changes in patient care improvement, quality services delivered on time whilst facilitating data driven decision making*⁵:

To be able to access a master record of patient health information is increasingly critical in today's time for clinicians to give timely guidance and appropriate medical interventions. A 2014 research study says "Electronic Health Record (EHR) is one such response that covers the need of all engaged parties including patients, doctors, clinical staff, insurance companies, health care providers and policy makers. It provides a platform on which individual health information is stored and accessed only by authorized people" *³. This study further elaborates the established presence in developing countries for EHR's with its usefulness in improving healthcare levels in countries with limited financial resources. Many countries like Italy are open to implementing EHRs especially as a post pandemic plan *² understanding the need for a single access point that merge different datasets in a meaningful manner.

An article by Kings Research highlights the increasing global presence of EHR usage across parts of North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Middle east. With a growing geriatric population on one side and a gadget friendly digital generation on the other, not just post pandemic but a greener world is especially the need of the hour with reduction in both paperwork and human resource dependency. Governments are keen to implement stringent regulations and willing to explore options to integrate Electronic Health Records to better serve the health of their population increasing the demand for customizable software services in the healthcare industry. The major driving factors for EHR across ages and populations significantly are*⁵:

• Instant access to patient medical records
• Integrated prescriptions and laboratory systems
• Telehealth and digital line of communication between care providers and seekers
• Country specific regulations and compliances

Some of the challenges faced in implementing EHR systems include the cost associated with 'go-live' and the setbacks in initial stages of training *⁴. A KPMG report that interacted with over 200 healthcare CEOs in 2021 identified that over 50% of them are revamping the way EHR models are being functionally utilized in systems. A key element in achieving efficient healthcare, EHRs aims to improve data flow across the system, in exact words of a global study "enhance day to day operations and patient care". A key to efficient workflow in the system is to take that time and adapt to changing technologies- this hurdle once bypassed, reduces the stress on human resources and facilitate a unique personalized healthcare experience.