Health information technology (HIT) is information technology applied to health and health care. It supports health information management across computerized systems and the secure exchange of health information between consumers, providers, payers, and quality monitors. Based on an often-cited 2008 report on a small series of studies conducted at four sites that provide ambulatory care–three U.S. medical centers and one in the Netherlands– the use of Electronic Health Records (EHRs) was viewed as the most promising tool for improving the overall quality, safety and efficiency of the health delivery system. A 2006 report by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality broad and consistent utilization of HIT will, :

• Improve health care quality or effectiveness:
• Increase health care productivity or efficiency;
• Prevent medical errors and increase health care accuracy and procedural correctness;
• Reduce health care costs;
• Increase administrative efficiencies and healthcare work processes;
• Decrease paperwork and unproductive or idle work time;
• Extend real-time communications of health informatics among health care professionals; and
• Expand access to affordable care.