Originally published June 16 2005
US moves toward national digital health records system
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
A Reuters story reported that the Department of Health and Human Services is trying to motivate health agencies to adopt a nationwide digital healthcare system that would be easily accessible but still protect patients' privacy.
The U.S. government is taking steps to help spawn a nationwide network of electronic medical records that are easily accessible but protect patient privacy, Health and Human Services Secretary Michael Leavitt said on Monday.
A new advisory panel will make recommendations aimed at prodding the private sector to establish standards so medical records can be shared throughout the health-care system, Leavitt said.
"In order for health IT (information technology) to move forward, we have to have interoperable standards ...
creating a system where information is digital, privacy protected and interchangeable," Leavitt said in an interview.
Doctors and hospitals have been slow to embrace digital technology, although advocates say using it to replace paper files could lower costs substantially and reduce medical errors.
The new panel, announced by Leavitt at a health IT meeting in New York, will have 17 government and private sector members, plus Leavitt as chairman.
The group will give recommendations on how to make health records compatible among varying computer systems while keeping patient information secure.
The panel will exist for at least two years and possibly as long as five years.
Government health programs such as Medicare will adopt the standards, helping to push private health-care providers and others to use the same systems, Leavitt said.
"Bolder action is needed to relieve Americans from crushing health costs," Kennedy said.
Several lawmakers are developing legislation to provide incentives for adopting electronic medical records to the doctors and hospitals that will bear the costs of upgrading their systems.
Leavitt said the technology also would be a boost to the Food and Drug Administration's efforts to monitor drug side effects because reports from throughout the country could be gathered quickly for analysis.
All content posted on this site is commentary or opinion and is protected under Free Speech. Truth Publishing LLC takes sole responsibility for all content. Truth Publishing sells no hard products and earns no money from the recommendation of products. NaturalNews.com is presented for educational and commentary purposes only and should not be construed as professional advice from any licensed practitioner. Truth Publishing assumes no responsibility for the use or misuse of this material. For the full terms of usage of this material, visit www.NaturalNews.com/terms.shtml