A digital version of a patient's paper chart is an electronic health record (EHR). EHRs are real-time, patient-centered records that make information available to authorized users instantly and securely. EHRs are an essential component of health IT because they can: It contains a patient's medical history, diagnoses, medications, treatment plans, immunization dates, allergies, radiology images, and lab and test results. Allow providers access to evidence-based tools for making patient care decisions. Provider workflow should be automated and streamlined.