Goal is EHRs; path is state by state

In the nation's ambitious quest to bring information technology to the practice of medicine, state governments are beginning to play a critical role in shepherding new systems into hospitals and doctors' offices, health experts say.

Governors and legislators, for starters, are embarking on a variety of strategies to encourage the use of electronic health records and other innovations."There is a tremendous amount of focus, and it continues to grow," said Sheera Rosenfeld, a senior manager for Avalere Health in Washington, who helped write a report earlier this year on state initiatives.Read more (registration may be required).
New York Times

Most States Developing Roadmaps to Support Healthcare Quality Improvements Through Electronic Health Information Exchange

Policies and practices for improving quality, safety and efficiency through HIT will be focus of National Assembly of State Leaders at eHI's Health Information Technology Summit, Sept. 25-27 in Washington, DC

A new eHI report finds that most states in the US are developing roadmaps to support electronic health information exchange (HIE).

Preliminary results from the 2006 Third Annual Survey of State, Regional, and Community-based Initiatives were released in a new report focused on state-level activity.

The 2006 survey takes the pulse of 165 multi-stakeholder efforts across the country, representing initiatives in nearly every state, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia.

This year's survey also takes a special look at a new, rapidly emerging phenomenon--the role of state leaders in planning, coordinating and implementing policy and in some cases, practical issues related to the use of HIT in improving health and healthcare.

A copy of the Report is available at:
http://www.ehealthinitiative.org/assets/documents/eHI2006ReportonStateActivities.pdf

Key findings from the report will also be discussed at the HIT Summit, hosted by the eHealth Initiative and Bridges to Excellence, which will include a national assembly of state leaders driving improvements in healthcare through HIT and health information exchange who will gather to share insights, learn from one another and inform the policy agenda for the nation. It will also include an in-depth look at rapidly emerging policy changes related to both quality and HIT, touching on financial, organizational, legal, technical, privacy and confidentiality standards and issues. Click here to Read the press release