An Electronic Medical Record (EMR) is a digital version of a patientís medical chart maintained within a single healthcare organization or system.
EMRs include diagnoses, medications, lab results, clinical notes, and treatment history that may support participant identification and eligibility confirmation. Research access must be justified, limited to necessary information, and controlled to protect privacy and prevent inappropriate use. Oversight bodies expect documented governance around access, disclosure, and data handling procedures. Strong EMR controls support HIPAA-aligned privacy, reliable source verification, and ethical research conduct.