An examination of the financial feasibility of Electronic Medical Records (EMRs): a case study of tangible and intangible benefits.

Electronic Medical Records (EMRs) and associated systems have existed in various forms for almost ten years, yet they are still considered in their infancy sporting low adoption rates in US hospitals and physician practices. One of the key barriers to the adoption of these systems has been the concerns of healthcare providers that the system will not provide sufficient Return On Investment (ROI). This study examines the success of one medium-sized physician practice with the selection, implementation and ROI of an EMR. This study demonstrates that an EMR can provide both tangible (monetary) and intangible (clinical/quality of care) returns for the healthcare provider.