Over time I have come to believe that electronic health records, or EHRs, as they are more commonly known, are the future of all medical records. It doesn't matter if you like them or can't stand the sight of them, EHR systems are starting to replace paper-based systems around the world. However, many people know nothing about electronic health records. Therefore the purpose of this document is to explain what EHRs are and how they are used, as well as explain the legal issues that may arise with their use and the future of EHRs. EHRs are essentially a digital version of a patient's paper medical record. However this is just the simple answer to what an EHR is. The truth is that electronic health records are this and much more. Electronic health records are a complete digital file of all of a patient's health information that can be accessed anytime, anywhere; essentially providing real-time access to records by all relevant personnel. These documents may contain, for example, contact information, allergies, insurance information, medical history, and vaccination records, among other things. Having this information in this format will help medical staff by reducing the chances of errors, reducing the chances of performing duplicate tests, and could greatly improve the overall quality of care. Furthermore, by having this information, all medical professionals could have all the current information on conditions, treatments, tests and prescriptions that you may have as a patient. This in turn could improve the overall workflow of the medical facility by allowing staff to save time and focus on other matters instead of wasting time chasing documents and files and updating… half the paper… quickly myth accepted that medicine requires complex and highly specialized computer systems. This myth continues to justify soaring IT costs, burdensome physician workloads, and stagnating innovation. This is not to say that there is no hope for the future use of electronic health records. As more organizations implement EHR systems, healthcare providers will have better access to patient information, enabling faster and more accurate diagnoses. Having complete patient data will help ensure the best care possible. Patients will also have access to their information and can choose to share it with family members and medical staff securely over the Internet, to better manage their and their families' care. And while creating an EHR will require an initial investment of time and money, it will definitely be worth it in the long run.