The discussion of EHR (electronic health records) is not necessarily the most recent in the news right now, but it is a major progression taking place as part of economic recovery. More specifically the slow integration of electronic records in part due to the HITECH Act signed in February 2009. This Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act spotlights on several levels of electronic medical data becoming a standard. Some of the highlights include: strengthening rules to protect privacy and security under HIPAA regulations, electronic data is more efficient and less prone to error therefore improving quality care and ultimately lowering costs. The Act also emphasizes the financial incentives for adopting EHR.
For obvious reasons improvements for the HIPAA policy are incurred under the act; only authorized persons have access to log-in and view patient data. Any transactions of information either doctor to patient, physician to another or approved health-care employee to insurance are secured. The swap of electronic data is done under a highly confidential design instead of the original paper exchange allowing outsiders to potentially view vulnerable data.
There are great HIPAA compliant software options that are cost-efficient, reliable and more importantly secure for physicians in all areas of practice. The direction of electronic data will most certainly improve quality of care to patients. Practitioners and administers will have more time to focus on the patients opposed to time spent on paper work and human error. Less error furthermore lowers overall costs in health care. Mistakes in billing and over treating patients will save.
Included in this law is $19.2 billion to be used to increase the use of EHR. The commitment is divided up in different categorizes such as incentives and reimbursements for private physicians and hospitals. It’s being presented the earlier practitioners or clinics sign over to the electronic way, the higher the incentive payments. For specifics on adopting an EHR program visit www.recovery.gov.
Author: Meredith Crown Smith
