Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan proposes a nationwide system, for electronic medical records. But we're a long way from being there, says the Janesville Republican, in part because of opposition from software makers, whose competing medical records systems can't communicate with one another. Ryan says a national system just makes sense. The bipartisan bill offered by Ryan lays the groundwork for creation of Independent Healh Record Trusts — allowing patients' records to travel with them. Individual patients would own their own medical records under this system, and they'd also be permitted to add personal health information.