Private Sector Helping Implement, Create Health Information Technology Standards
The private sector has begun to take action to implement electronic health records, build health exchange networks and standards for compatibility, according to David Kibbe, senior adviser to the Center for Health Information Technology at the American Academy of Family Physicians. Kibbe said, "All the major medical specialty societies are creating programs to help their members adopt [EHRs] in their practices, and as far as I can tell, they are not waiting for government subsidies for those efforts."
David Merritt, a project director at the Center for Health Transformation, said his organization supports a proposal by Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.), a presidential candidate, for a "paperless" health IT system. However, he added that her plan relies too much on the federal government.
Christine Bechtel, vice president of public policy and government relations at the not-for-profit eHealth Initiative, said that consumers, the private sector and the federal government have a role in encouraging the adoption of health IT. Bechtel said, "In an ideal world, consumers should be one of the primary drivers of change," but they need "better access to information on cost and quality so that they can make more informed decisions" (Sternstein, CongressDaily, 6/12). Health IT Coalition
In related news, a coalition of former lawmakers, patients, health care providers and others led by former Sen. John Breaux (D-La.) and former Rep. Nancy Johnson (R-Conn.) is encouraging Congress to pass health IT legislation. The coalition, called "Health IT Now!," will promote initiatives that educate Congress and consumers about how health IT can reduce health care costs and save lives, and will lobby lawmakers to codify a public-private process to establish standards for system interoperability, product certification and quality measures.
The coalition also supports an accelerated process for standards improvement, as well as financial incentives for physicians to adopt health IT. Johnson said, "There is broad consensus on a series of steps that Congress can take to eliminate barriers, establish guidelines and empower patients and the health care industry to take advantage of cutting-edge information technologies," adding, "We believe Congress should act this year to send a bill to the president that fosters the adoption of health IT" (CQ HealthBeat, 6/11).
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Sectorul privat ajutã sã punã în aplicare, de sãnãtate a crea standarde de tehnologia informaþiei - Private Sector Helping Implement, Create Health Information Technology Standards - articole medicale engleza - startsanatate