Less than 20% of ambulatory practices in the United States utilize electronic health records (EHRs). Uptake has been limited by cost issues and concern about the impact of EHRs on clinician workflow. This survey evaluated clinicians' perceptions of a newly implemented electronic medical record in three primary care clinics. Although initially clinicians felt that the EHR resulted in longer patient visits and increased the time spent documenting, by 1 year after implementation, clinicians felt that the EHR improved their ability to follow up on test results and communicate with other providers, and contributed to higher quality care overall. Importantly, these perceived advantages emerged only after 1 full year of using the new system.