This document discusses the experience of implementing an electronic medical records (EMR) system at the Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER) Trauma Centre in India. It describes the failed attempt in the 1980s, challenges with handwritten records, benefits of going digital like reproducibility and tamper-proof records. It provides details of the current EMR system setup in 2006 including online appointment booking and follow ups, open source software, estimated costs and significant cost savings from going paperless. The conclusion is that EMR implementation pays for itself many times over through direct and indirect benefits.