Missing clinical and behavioral health data in a large electronic health record (EHR) system.

Electronic health records (EHRs) were promoted as a patient safety improvement strategy, but their promise has not been fully realized. Comparing data from an EHR to information from insurance claims, this study found that EHRs inadequately capture mental health care, including inpatient and outpatient visits, medications, and specialty care. This information gap carries significant risk to patients and suggests a need for improved care integration and EHR interoperability.