Goal Is Electronic Health Records. Path Is State by State.

GOAL IS ELECTRONIC HEALTH RECORDS. PATH IS STATE BY STATE.
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Reed Abelson]
In the nation’s ambitious quest to bring information technology to the practice of medicine, state governments are beginning to play a critical role in shepherding new systems into hospitals and doctors’ offices, health experts say. Governors and legislators, for starters, are embarking on a variety of strategies to encourage the use of electronic health records and other innovations. The primary effort has been to encourage the use of electronic health records, so that doctors statewide can have access to patient records. State officials have begun convening task forces of hospitals, doctors, insurers and other groups to develop plans for such regional systems. Many states were prompted to action by the federal government’s call to arms in 2004 to develop electronic patient records throughout the United States. Like the states, the government is trying to coordinate the various efforts under way. Federal officials are also developing national standards for the technology.
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/27/technology/circuits/27health.html
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