Health Information Technology (HIT) is the use of computers and computer programs, such as an electronic health record (EHR) to store, retrieve and securely transfer patient information electronically within health care settings. HIT use in clinics includes three phases: 1) adopting an EHR system; 2) using the technology to gather and manage patient information; and 3) exchanging information among doctors' offices.
Care You Should Expect to Receive
- Information about you and the care you need is recorded in an EHR instead of a paper medical record.
- Your doctor uses the EHR to order lab tests, track your health problems and improve your care.
- Your information is sent and received in a secure manner between the doctors involved in your care.
How Will This Help Me? Doctors, hospitals, laboratories and pharmacies that use HIT can document and share information about the care they provide to you. This can be helpful if you see multiple doctors or have a medical condition that requires specific types of care.
For example, if you have diabetes and need emergency care in another community, emergency department providers can quickly learn of your diabetes treatments through your EHR. This information will help them determine the treatment that is best for your emergency condition and also safe for patients with diabetes. When you return to your community, your doctor can learn about the emergency care you received and make sure you receive appropriate follow-up care.
The increase of HIT use in doctors' offices across Minnesota is summarized above. These numbers represent the percentage of doctor's offices across the state that have achieved milestones in each phase of HIT use. For example, the first 
