Why eHI Was Created

A growing number of leaders in the health care industry have recognized that the time has come to develop and articulate the vision of a greatly improved health care system enabled by information technology. We have now given both form and substance to this effort, through the launch of the eHealth Initiative.

The adoption of e-health initiatives promises to revolutionize health care in the United States by reducing errors, improving the quality of care delivered, reducing costs, and empowering consumers to better understand and address their own health care needs.

Significant obstacles stand in the way of realizing the promise of eHealth, including the lack of health care system interoperability and widespread adoption of clinical data standards, outdated policies related to reimbursement, concerns about privacy and security, and lack of investment in innovation and technology.

The eHealth Initiative was created to respond to these barriers through advocacy, education and other informational activities, serving as a powerful and visible voice for the health care community in the public policy arena.