Groups push physicians and patients to embrace electronic health records.

EXPERTS AGREE THAT ELECTRONIC health records can save lives and money by reducing the costs and harms associated with medical errors and by cutting down on redundant tests and procedures. But a number of unresolved issues, including affordability and privacy concerns, have made hospitals, physicians, and patients slow to adopt them. Although those hurdles remain, governmentandnonprofitorganizations, as well as technology giants such as Microsoft and Google, are attempting to drive the technology forward. What is envisionedisaneasilyaccessibleelectronicsystemthat,bycoordinatingthestorageand retrievalof individuals’healthrecords, increasesefficiency,reducescosts,andpromotes standardization of care.