Abstract
The creation of the electronic medical record (EMR) was one of the greatest advancements in medical documentation. It improved the efficiency and practicality of multi-patient research, such as retrospective case series and cohort studies. While EMRs made collecting and sharing patient data feasible, the subsequent advent of patient registries provided opportunities for rapid large-scale analysis. Most recently, specialty-specific registries have enabled the biomedical workforce to focus on certain diseases, particularly neurological and neurosurgical in nature. State and nation-wide analyses of these patients have combined geographic, demographic, patient presentation, and treatment information to identify disparities in care and patient outcomes. Further optimization and expansion of discipline-specific registries can improve data collection, research, and patient care, all while facilitating national collaboration that was not previously possible.