Can you imagine a future where the question, “Did you bring a copy of your test results?” becomes entirely unnecessary? That could happen, but the methods that most healthcare providers use to exchange healthcare information are little different than they were 5,000 years ago, when physicians caring for the same patient exchanged scrolls of papyrus and clay tablets.

Since the inception of computing technology, healthcare systems and doctors have been trying to find ways to dispense with the inefficiency and to share information electronically. One of the building blocks for this information bridge is something called a health information exchange. These exchanges allow for the transfer of electronic health information—such as your medical records, laboratory test results, and medication lists—among hospitals and providers. Yet, our recent research shows that, despite clear benefits of health information exchanges, they are not being utilized as often as they could be.

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