Electronic health records have been touted for improving the delivery of care in a number of ways. Connecting various specialists to one another and giving physicians access to a patient’s complete medical history are just a couple of the benefits.

However, experts are increasingly saying that getting patients more involved in their own care is one of the most important aspects of EHR systems.

Farzad Mostashari, the national coordinator for health IT, told iHealthBeat that empowered patients are likely to receive better care and drive down costs by living healthier lives. EHRs enable patients to have access to greater amounts of data, which helps them become more empowered.

He told the news source that patients shouldn’t be afraid to ask their doctors to see their medical records, as this is every patient’s right and it is the right thing to do.

A recent study published in the journal Family Practice showed that it is possible to get patients to play more active roles in their own care through better communication, and that this produces much better outcomes.