House Panel Hears from Health Information
Technology Leaders
June 25, 2004 - At a June 17 hearing
before the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Health, the newly
appointed National Coordinator for Health Information Technology,
David J. Brailer, M.D., Ph.D., outlined the Administration's vision
of a nationwide health information technology (HIT) infrastructure.
According to Dr. Brailer, the national HIT infrastructure will
make clinical information available "at the time and place
of care," provide consumer access to decision-making resources,
improve the coordination of care, and assure the confidentiality
and security of data. Dr. Brailer said HHS is currently working
with the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs (VA), as well
as the Office of Personnel Management, to develop a strategic plan
to "accelerate HIT adoption in the private sector." The
strategic plan, Dr. Brailer explained, will reflect core "guiding
principles," including the personalization of care, development
of market-based solutions, shared public and private investment,
and individually controlled information as a common good for public
health and research.
Dr. Brailer reported that the collaborative team is currently exploring
ways to support physicians in the selection of cost-effective, productive
technology. The group is also discussing how the private sector
can measure and report on HIT product value and performance, according
to a defined set of benchmarks. Dr. Brailer also took the opportunity
to announce that leaders in government, healthcare, and information
technology will share input at an HIT "summit" on July
21.
Additional testimony came from organizations that have successfully
implemented HIT networks, including the VA's Acting Chief Health
Informatics Officer and Deputy Chief Information Officer for Health,
Robert Kolodner, M.D. Also testifying was Marc Overhage, M.D., Ph.D.,
associate professor of medicine at Indiana University School of
Medicine and a senior investigator at the Regenstrief Institute.
Dr. Overhage discussed "lessons learned" during the development
and implementation of a regional health information network that
connects several major health systems in the Indianapolis area.
Witnesses also included representatives from Kaiser Permanente,
eHealth Initiative, and the American Medical Informatics Association.
Information:
Christiane Mitchell, Senior Legislative Analyst
AAMC Government Relations
cmitchell@aamc.org
(202) 828-0526
Get Washington Highlights
in your Inbox!
|
