networking, which links people and departments within a particular building or across corporate offices, enabling them to share information and cooperate on projects, is an important strategic tool for many companies. For example, a networked electronic medical records system links employees at the hospitals of Partners HealthCare System, the largest hospital network in New England, with the offices of more than 4,000 physicians with admitting privileges. The system ties doctors, nurses, staff specialists, and others into a coordinated team to provide better care, avoid redundant tests, and prevent potentially conflicting prescriptions. Explaining the reasoning behind the system, the head of the Partners’ physician group said, “I don’t want doctors just to work better. I want them to work better with their colleagues.”