Coordinating Care in Italy: Introducing an Electronic Patient Record system in Lombardy Region

The purpose of this case study is to describe the coordination mechanisms that took place during the process to implement a regional Electronic Patient Record (EPR) system in the Italian region of Lombardy (Lombardia). An EPR is a longitudinal electronic record of a patient’s healthcare history, which is a coordinating tool for healthcare providers. The case highlights four phases in the implementation of the project and discusses the particular coordination practices that were put in place in the project that led to the setting up of the EPR system.