The complexity of advancing health information technology in our $2 trillion health care industry is significant. While the issue of savings is vital, it is important to review ALL potential benefits of investing in health information technology.
Health information technology has the potential to:
a) improve quality of care,
b) improve patient safety,
c) decrease health disparities,
d) provide an efficient source of data for reform initiatives such as pay-for-performance and health care outcomes research.
Health care expenditures currently total over $8 billion in Franklin County (Ohio) alone, and will double over the next ten years based on current trends. Health care is becoming unaffordable for consumers and unsustainable for our society as we compete in a global economy.
If we are to bend the inflationary curve on health care expenditures, we will need access to better administrative and clinical data. We need to communicate VALUE (value = quality/cost) to consumers and purchasers in order to reform our current health care situation. Without investment in health information technology, we will continue to struggle with measuring the value of our health care expenditures.
3 comments:
I agree about the utmost importance of Health information implementation to improving results and value in our Health system. HHS-designate Tom Daschle spoke in Denver on Dec 5 and he said of Health IT, "If we don't have Health IT we will not have health reform". (44:08 on the video)
My question is which group is driving the adoption of electronic Health Information in the State of Ohio? It does not seem to have a clear initiative at the state level. Is it eHealth Ohio, their site has not posted new news since September 2008.
C-SPAN Daschle video:
http://www.c-spanarchives.org/library/index.php?main_page=product_video_info&products_id=282729-1
The Ohio Health Information Partnership Advisory Board is finalizing its recommendations for the State of Ohio.
You can learn more about this group's work at http://ohipab.pbwiki.com/.
Jeff - Thanks for directing me to the Ohio Health Information Partnership Advisory Board wiki: http://ohipab.pbwiki.com. Also, I am glad to learn about Ohio's participation in the
Ohio Health State Quality Improvement Institute,
http://ohqis.pbwiki.com/ with the Commonwealth fund. Sounds like we have people dicussing Health IT at the state level, so glad to hear that.
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