Where Government, Healthcare and IT Meet

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Rise of the Health Information Exchange

Despite the best efforts of the HITECH Act, movement to EHR and Health IT is not coming from physicians.  We are starting to see the formation of more and more Health Information Exchanges (HIE).  These HIE are being formed by healthcare systems such as Christus Health Partners.  Additionally, even the President’s Office of Science and Technology recommended the creation of standards for HIE. 

Non-Traditional Players

When we think of Health IT, we think of technology companies such as GE, IBM and the many EHR providers as well as healthcare providers.  However, there seems to be other organizations that are entering into the fray.  Health Insurance companies are making a play in Health IT. Aetna has purchased Medicity, an HIE provider and will provider e-prescribing management in NJ.  Meanwhile, AT&T is developing caps for prescribtion drug containers that can report on usage.  Not suprisingly, smart phones and the IPAD are finding uses in Health IT.

GOP Takes the Stage

The Republicans have taken control of the House of Representatives with an eye toward repealing healthcare reform.  As readers know, the healthcare reform bill encouraged the use of Health IT and facilitated pilot programs in which Health IT would prove pivotal.  But the real question is not the fate of healthcare reform but if the HITECH Act/stimulus bill will be collateral damage.  We are already seeing efforts for Congressional control of net neutrality.  The HITECH Act was very controversial in terms of cost and as Representative Barton of TX, originally a supporter of HITECH, complained he has yet to see jobs created.  So Congress’s actions need to be carefully monitored in terms of Health IT.