eHI Issues Call for Papers: Share Your Insights on Role of Health IT in Health Reform

The Telehealth Promise: Benefits, Current Challenges and Policy Recommendations (pdf)

Submitted By:
Alexander H. Vo, PhD
Executive Director
AT&T Center for Telehealth Research and Policy

Abstract:
The growing cost of medical care and gaps in coverage are creating enormous pressure on providers and policymakers to identify new strategies for delivering cost-effective and quality care to all citizens. Many health care experts believe that part of the answer lies with telehealth applications made possible by the increasing power of information technology. Indeed, we believe widespread implementation of telehealth could save the U.S. health care system $4.28 billion just from reducing transfers of patients from one location to another. This brief paper summarizes potential financial cost savings associated with a national implementation of telehealth as well as discusses current operational challenges and their corresponding policy recommendations.

All We Are Saying Is Give HIEs a Chance (pdf)

Submitted By:
Robert Steffel
Chief Executive Officer
HealthBridge

Keith Hepp
Chief Financial Officer
HealthBridge

Trudi Matthews
Director of Policy and Public Relations
HealthBridge

Todd Rowland
Executive Director
HealthLINC

Abstract:
While health information technology (HIT) and health information exchange (HIE) are touted as the solution for the nation’s health care problems, other articles and speeches recently have called into question the value of our investments in HIT and HIE. Leadership from one of the nation’s most successful HIEs argues that, despite the hype and the high-profile failures of a few, there are many important reasons to give HIEs a chance to succeed. The authors provide their recommendations for helping HIEs move forward to financial sustainability.

Surviving and Thriving in a Post-CDH World: The Need for Innovative Web-based Solutions to Address the Challenges of Managing Patient Financial Responsibility (pdf)

Submitted By:
Timothy Hargarten
CEO and Chairman
NaviMedix

Abstract:
For physician practices across the country, one “payer” is becoming responsible for a rapidly increasing share of practice revenue: the patient. Where providers historically settled for ultimately collecting less than $.25 of every “self-pay” dollar, that is quickly becoming an untenable business model.

Physician practices need cost-effective tools to help them predict patient and payer financial responsibility, collect efficiently from all sources and understand how to stratify and address patient debt. However, practices typically have little technology infrastructure and limited resources.

What is needed is a multi-payer portal as a web-based “one-stop-shop” solution for physician practices to access a wide range of financial, administrative and clinical workflows and transactions from multiple payers and other sponsoring healthcare organizations.

eHealth: How far have we come in five years? Answer: Not far enough (pdf)

Submitted By:
Dr. Larry Ozeran
Chair
Yuba-Sutter Healthcare Council

Abstract:
Each of us realizes that health information technology implementation and use has not come nearly as far in the last five years as we would have liked. Financial constraints have been a key factor. Finance is not just about revenue, but also about costs and how what you choose to build affects costs. This paper describes three related barriers to eHealth: low revenues, high costs, and challenging specifications and expectations. What might the financial success story look like if we aligned financial incentives, optimized use of open source software, and trusted each other better?

Government Intervention: A Necessary Evil to Increase HIT Adoption? (pdf)

Submitted By:
Alex Alexander
Director of Business and Policy, E-Health and Organizational Development
Advocates for Human Potential Inc.

Abstract:
Implementation of Health Information Technology (HIT) is becoming a necessary evil faster than anticipated. The adoption of HIT from traditional paper records is in a transition stage in the US and other countries, with more and more physicians and practices migrating into the digital world. The rewards take longer than the hurdles faced.

What is the role of the federal government in speeding up the adoption process? Are there other examples that the US can turn to? Private initiatives in several states have reached a ‘tipping’ point where they look up to the government to provide legislative and standards framework along with a roadmap mandating or providing incentives to increase adoption. HIT can add value an improve outcomes through technology, innovation and leadership, but unless the right priorities are set and the key stake holders are engaged , these initiatives will remain a long drawn out process without a closed ending...