The document discusses the history and current state of health information technology (HIT) and electronic health records (EHRs). It notes that HIT advancements first occurred in European countries in the 1990s and that the goal of the US government has been universal EHR adoption by 2014. The document outlines the components and functionalities of EHR systems according to the Institute of Medicine, including clinical decision support, computerized provider order entry, and data security. Barriers to EHR implementation include costs and a lack of interoperability between systems.