Former Gov. Mark Warner said sharing medical records among providers will improve care and reduce costs.
By Sarah Bruyn Jones
With nearly $20 billion in federal funds about to hit the world of health care information technology, Virginia’s health sector and political leadership are trying to prepare to capture their share of the money.
The money is part of the federal stimulus bill signed by President Obama in February and is intended as a financial incentive to get the health care industry to embrace using electronic medical records. Still, the timeline and details of how the money will be distributed have not been finalized.
“This represents a big leap forward for health technology, so we are excited about it,” said Virginia Secretary of Health and Human Resources Marilyn Tavenner. “We just want to be positioned to take maximum advantage of it.” http://ping.fm/cLmJD