Microsoft founder Bill Gates voiced support today for electronic health records (EHRs). The concept is sound as long as the privacy of the person's information is protected, he said.

Gates spoke at the Microsoft Government Leaders Forum Americas in McLean, Va., about a variety of issues, including the digital future.

He said he had met with officials from the Defense and Veterans Affairs departments, which are leading the way in creating an interoperable system for EHRs for military personnel who enter the VA health system.

Microsoft is working with the Department of Health and Human Services on EHRs, Gates said. But development of the service must be handled with care, he added.

"There is no area where privacy is more important than health records," Gates said. But he said the system will work with the right management and privacy protections.

Digitizing EHRs would be effective, he said, but there also must be a failsafe way to authenticate access.