Electronic medical records (EMRs) can enhance the quality of patient care by minimizing errors and improving efficiency and coordination. Physicians' adoption of this technology has been slow, however, in part because the benefits and costs that doctors can expect should they invest in it have not been well documented. In visits to 15 doctors' offices across the country, project staff will document how EMRs affect workflow and collect empirical data on their costs and benefits. The team will analyze accounting and other administrative data to estimate the overall financial impact, including the expenses of acquiring and maintaining EMRs and the revenue derived from changes in productivity. Barriers and facilitators to implementation will also be described. By addressing physicians' most frequent questions and concerns about EMRs, this study could contribute to the broader diffusion of a technology with great potential. http://www.ucsf.edu