National, State Healthcare Leaders in the Spotlight at eHI's Third Health Information Technology Summit
Karla Hurter |
September 26, 2006 |
Address by Sec. Leavitt, Assembly of State leaders, and State Leadership Dinner among highlights of national conference
September 26, 2006, Washington, D.C. Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt said today that broad use of interoperable health information technology was at the heart of a movement to improve the quality and price of healthcare. Leavitt delivered his keynote address this morning at the Third Annual HIT Summit, co-sponsored by the eHealth Initiative (eHI) and Bridges to Excellence at the Renaissance Hotel in Washington, D.C.
We have the opportunity with interoperable health information technology to dependably measure price and quality in healthcare. That adds up to value and is critical to changing America's healthcare system, Secretary Leavitt said.
The Summit drew hundreds of national, regional and state healthcare decision makers to Washington to discuss current policies related to both quality and health information technology (HIT) emerging from the Administration, Congress, the fifty states, and the private sector. On Monday, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Mark McClellan, MD, PhD offered remarks related to improving patient care through HIT and electronic prescribing, purchasing for value, and related topics. Also on Monday, Robert M. Kolodner, MD, made his inaugural speech at the Summit as the new Interim National Coordinator for Health Information Technology. And on Wednesday, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Director Carolyn Clancy, MD will offer remarks at a special session on pay for performance.
Policies related to both quality and health information technology are emerging as a top priority for leaders in the Administration, in Congress and at the state and regional level, said Janet Marchibroda, eHI's chief executive officer. With the confluence of efforts in both the private and public sectors in both of these areas--quality and health information technology--we now have the opportunity to significantly improve the quality, safety and effectiveness of healthcare for all Americans.
On Monday, leaders from 45 states convened in a "National Assembly of State Leaders" to share lessons learned, best practices and strategies for improving health and healthcare through information and information technology. The Summits focus on state activities is vital, as a majority of states in the nation are now getting engaged in HIT planning or implementation, and are looking to both national experts and their peers, to increase the likelihood of success. State participants leveraged both a "state source guide" developed by eHI for the event, as well as the just-launched results of eHI's Third Annual Survey of Health Information Exchange Efforts at the State, Regional and Community Levels. For more information go to www.ehealthinitiative.org.
Monday evening, public and private sector leaders met to honor three state policy makers who are leveraging HIT to improve health and healthcare for the citizens in their states.
- Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen was honored for his ongoing role in support of the development of a system of electronic heath records to support the citizens of his state. This spring Bredesen appointed members to the Tennessees eHealth Advisory Council, which he chartered by executive order to create a plan to promote the use of electronic medical records by healthcare stakeholders across Tennessee and to identify obstacles to the implementation of an effective health information infrastructure.
- Vermont Gov. James Douglas was honored for his role in supporting the development of a common HIT infrastructure, working with the states Legislature and Department of Health, and partnering with the Vermont Information Technology Leaders (VITL), a multi-stakeholder non-profit corporation working to implement HIT statewide. Gov. Douglas was instrumental in garnering $1.4 million in seed funding over two years to support an HIT-based chronic care disease management initiative, which will be implemented in partnership with VITL. In August, Gov. Douglas was selected by his colleagues to serve as lead governor on the major health care quality, information technology and cost containment initiative launched by the National Governors Association (NGA).
- Michigan Rep. Gary Newell, vice chair of the states House Health Policy Committee, was honored for introducing and championing passage of a bill to establish an HIT and infrastructure development fund to allow Michigan healthcare providers to create a system of information sharing on a statewide basis. This fund includes the approval of $5 million within the Michigan Department of Community Healths budget as a springboard for healthcare organizations to create a solid technology infrastructure.
These state leaders are blazing a trail for other policy makers who want to improve the quality, safety, and effectiveness of healthcare for the citizens of their states, Marchibroda said.
Since 2004, eHI has been providing leadership and support to states, regions and communities who are improving health and healthcare through HIT and health information exchange. In its work over the years at both the national and local levels, eHI has developed resources and tools designed to support the many stakeholders in this effort to navigate the organizational, legal, financial, clinical and technical aspects of health information exchange.
About eHealth Initiative and its Foundation
The eHealth Initiative and its Foundation are independent, non-profit affiliated organizations whose missions are the same: to drive improvements in the quality, safety, and efficiency of healthcare through information and information technology.
eHI engages multiple stakeholders, including clinicians, consumer and patient groups, employers, health plans, healthcare IT suppliers, hospitals and other providers, laboratories, pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers, pharmacies, public health, and public sector agencies, as well as its growing coalition of more than 280 state, regional and community-based collaboratives, to develop and disseminate common principles, policies and best practices for improving the quality, safety and effectiveness of America's healthcare through information and information technology.
For more information, go to http://www.ehealthinitiative.org.
