Kalorama: EMR market to grow by 14 percent annually through 2012

Kalorama: EMR market to grow by 14 percent annually through 2012: "Kalorama Information forecasts the EMR market to grow by 14.1 percent annually through 2012, from $9.5 billion in 2007.

The emerging personal health record trend will have a vast impact on the electronic medical records market and on healthcare in the upcoming year, according to the New York-based marketing research firm.

The report, 'U.S. Markets for EMR Technology,' examines how the focus of ownership of medical records is shifting from one that is distributed among various healthcare providers to one that is shared and controlled by both the patient and the provider.

Patients' and physicians' interest in viewing records online has increased, since giving patients online access to their own charts is expected to enhance the doctor-patient relationship and reduce healthcare costs.

'The driver for EMR sales has always been hospital-side, as in 'this can reduce your costs,'' said Bruce Carlson, publisher of Kalorama Information.'That's still true, but with PHRs, the driver is also on the consumer side, as in 'this can make your organization seem friendly and modern to healthcare consumers.' '"