Abstract
So, we’ve now reached the end of the story … at least the part that has played out so far. We began with the nature and problems of our healthcare system and the key role that chronic disease plays in it. We made the case for digital records and data sharing and we learned what the federal government is doing to encourage their adoption. We examined the key underlying technologies of health information exchange; privacy, security and trust; and data and interoperability standards. We then looked at how these technologies are being used in actual systems and tools for providers, patients, public health and clinical research.