Uwe K. Schneider examines the legal framework for cross-institutional electronic patient records, which allow all previously collected health data to be made available at the place of treatment at any time. He illustrates these conditions using regulatory instruments such as providing financial incentives for the use of such records or mandating their use. The author navigates the tension between data protection and health protection. On one hand, these records offer the opportunity to improve the quality and cost-effectiveness of care. On the other hand, there are risks when patient data is stored on external servers and exchanged over electronic networks. There is a threat of data, responsibility, and trust evaporating in the digital space.