U.S. lawmakers get serious about health care IT

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A bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers Wednesday unveiled legislation to speed the adoption of computerized medical records and other health care information technology.

At the same time, Secretary of Health and Human Services Mike Leavitt met with business leaders to urge them to join in a growing effort to improve the nation’s health care system.

Having so much medical information still on paper “has consequences that are deadly and costly,” said Republican Congressman Tim Murphy of Pennsylvania, including medication errors, unneeded tests, and other miscommunications.

"The current system makes it harder than it needs to be to deliver the best care at the lowest price,” said Democratic Rep. Patrick Kennedy from Rhode Island, who joined with Murphy to introduce the “21st Century Health Information Act.”

The bill would provide $50 million in grants over the next 4 years to regional health information organizations, which would help coordinate the development and implementation of “interoperable” systems among health care payers, providers, and computer firms.

The House members were joined at their news conference by the unlikely pair—former first lady and now Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, and former Republican House Speaker Newt Gingrich.

Despite their normal political differences, the two have led the fight for the development of health information systems that can exchange information electronically. Clinton said she plans to introduce legislation even broader than the new House bill later this spring, and it will be co-authored by Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist.

Meanwhile, HHS Secretary Leavitt met with leaders of the Business Roundtable to discuss ways the government and private sector can collaborate on IT efforts. “Information technology is a pivotal part of transforming our health care system,” Leavitt said. Together the government and private sector “can drive changes that will lead to fewer medical errors, lower costs, less hassle and better care,” he said.

Leavitt told reporters after the meeting that he thought the legislation introduced in the House “appears to be compatible” with his goals of setting standards for interoperability, encouraging the adoption of electronic systems, and ensuring that information remains protected.

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