Electronic Health Records (EHR) refer to a patient’s medical records which are organized into a digital format. SSM has the most comprehensive, system-wide EHR in the St. Louis metro area and is the only health care system in St. Charles County with EHR capabilities. To patients, this means SSM physicians have instant computer access to patient information and better coordination of care between primary care physicians, hospitalists and specialists. This helps to improve patient care, making it faster, safer, and more convenient. The traditional paper medical record increased opportunities for medical errors while the electronic medical record helps to reduce them. Additional benefits include reduced medical costs, improved billing procedures, standardized practices, and access to unprecedented amounts of clinical data for research that can accelerate the level of knowledge of effective medical practices.