The bumpy road to electronic health records

For decades, health care has lagged behind other industries in embracing information technology. Now, the Obama administration has earmarked $19 billion for health IT in the economic stimulus package, and is calling for widespread adoption of electronic health records by 2014. Supporters say electronic records will reduce overhead, improve communication and cut down on medical mistakes. Implementing electronic systems could also create thousands of jobs in software engineering, hardware sales and IT support. But while some medical experts are encouraged by the stimulus money, they're also cautious: Creating effective, efficient electronic systems will require a coordinated effort in a fragmented health care industry.