Health information technology and the electronic medical record.

Health Information Technology and the Electronic Medical Record are becoming increasingly important in virtually all aspects of medicine. This includes computer-assisted decision support, the integration of all aspects of the health record, ability to access patient information no matter where a patient seeks care, cost control, and health care research and quality improvement. It also has ramifications for the education of health care professionals and general community members. This article briefly examines some of the most important aspects of this development.