Electronic medical records: recommendations for routine. Report of the eHID (Electronic Health Indicator Data Project): site visits to participating networks.

Aims: The electronic Health Indicator Data (eHID) project aims to investigate how routinely collected clinical data from electronic records in primary care can be used to determine health indicators across the European Union (EU). This presentation will present the findings of site visits to the various networks that are collecting and analysing data from electronic medical records, to examine current practice and to determine the strengths and weaknesses of each system in providing health indicator data. The findings from these visits will be used to assist in agreeing a protocol for measuring the four health indicators in the participating networks. Design and methods: observational study of recording practices in 7 European practice networks. Visits to the networks and participating GP practices in each country were conducted. Questionnaires were designed for network organizations and GPs. Results: The site visits provided an invaluable opportunity to gain insight into bridging the gap between recording arrangements and recording practice. Key lessons from these visits and the practical problems will be presented. Conclusions: From the information collected during these visits reliable and consistent data could be obtained from routine electronic medical records in the various networks, provided disciplined and consistent recording rules are observed.