The document provides a brief history of privacy regulations for health records, including HIPAA which was established in 1996 to regulate the use of protected health information. The Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act of 2009 provided incentives for providers to adopt electronic health records through the Meaningful Use program. It allocated funds through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to encourage implementation of certified EHR systems and meet objectives for using technology to improve care, engage patients, and maintain privacy. The future may include more standardized clinical coding and exchange of billing, notes, and lab results between providers.