On Tuesday, the State Alliance for e-Health, made up of governors and state officials, released a report urging states to take action on health care IT, Healthcare IT News reports.
The top recommendation of the report is for states to provide leadership and support for health IT efforts, especially electronic prescribing. The group's second recommendation is for states to address health IT privacy and security concerns.
The alliance also recommended that states:
- Promote the use of standards-based, interoperable technology;
- Encourage consumers to use health IT in managing their health and health care;
- Develop work force capacity to support electronic health data exchange efforts; and
- Streamline the licensure process to allow for cross-state health IT.
According to the report, the benefits of health care IT use could include:
- Improved treatment coordination;
- Higher quality care;
- A reduction in adverse drug effects;
- Administrative efficiencies;
- Fewer duplicative treatments and tests; and
- Improved research capabilities (Monegain, Healthcare IT News, 9/23).
The State Alliance for e-Health's report, titled "Accelerating Progress -- Using Health Information Technology and Electronic Health Information Exchange To Improve Care, is available online (.pdf).