Toward an Electronic Patient Record '97: Conference and Exposition, April 27-May 3, 1997, Opryland Hotel Convention Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA : Proceedings

The Toward an Electronic Patient Record (TEPR) proceedings were compiled under the leadership of C. Peter Waegemann, a foundational figure in the development of health informatics and a long-time executive director of the Medical Records Institute. During the mid-1990s, the healthcare industry was at a critical inflection point, transitioning from legacy paper-based filing systems to digital health information management. This 1997 volume served as the official record for one of the period's most influential conferences, documenting the technical, legal, and operational debates surrounding the implementation of the electronic medical record.

The design and content of the volume reflect the pedagogical goals of the Medical Records Institute, which sought to bridge the gap between burgeoning information technology and clinical practice. The proceedings emphasize emerging standards, such as HL7 and digital security frameworks, which were in their infancy at the time. Received by contemporary clinicians, hospital administrators, and software developers as a vital roadmap, the work helped standardize terminology and strategic approaches that eventually paved the way for the widespread adoption of electronic health records in the 21st century.