IT measures scattered through reform law

Like pixie dust sprinkled on the healthcare industry's woes, references to healthcare information technology are found throughout the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

In fact, the keywords "information technology" were mentioned 44 times in the law. also is laced with additional references for electronic health records and IT standards. The Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, the companion "fix it" bill that also passed the House on Sunday, 220-211, is pending before the Senate. Meredith Taylor, director of congressional affairs with the Chicago-based Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society, said she does not think Congress is relying too heavily on health IT as a solve-all solvent for the healthcare industry's woes. "I think it's important how health IT is addressed," Taylor said. "It's a tool in the process. When they're talking about activities that providers need to do, they note health IT as one of many tools. In some grants that are provided for some pilot programs, it says that some applicants that use IT will be given priority consideration if they use EHRs. It's definitely a piece of the puzzle."