The invention relates to sharing patient care information through electronic messaging. Systems for managing electronic health records may comprise extensive patient information, e.g., names, addresses, insurance coverage and/or other financial arrangements, health conditions, allergies, procedures undergone, and/or tests performed. The invention involves transfer of such information between users. Embodiments of the invention may pass such information by adding to electronic messages pointers that uniquely refer to one or more patient records. Some embodiments may thereby send health information electronically while preserving metadata and/or other meaning associated with the data.