Dr. David Blumenthal, the Obama Administration’s national coordinator for health information technology, can recall the day he became a true believer in the potential of electronic health records. He was about to order a lung scan when the computer in his Boston hospital alerted him to a similar image already in the file. The patient was spared an unnecessary dose of radiation and the health care system was spared the cost of an unnecessary test.
Such experiences, he said, “suggest… how small victories… can lead us to be better physicians, higher quality physicians.” That thinking is informing his actions as head of the Office of the National Coordinator, which wants doctors to use electronic medical records as part of a broader effort to modernize the health care system.
Blumenthal’s office, along with two advisory panels, reported Thursday on their progress in developing the framework for the $33 billion health information technology initiative. The undertaking, which began with the February passage of the stimulus bill, has required that they define key terms, such as “meaningful use,” that will guide doctors as they adopt electronic health records. They are also setting the minimum requirements physicians will have to meet in order to receive financial incentives.
For Blumenthal, the most difficult challenge will be to convince doctors that participating is worth it. Even with assistance from the federal government, physicians will have to spend big money on the digital transition. And the return on their investment is murky. Blumenthal must show doctors how this program is good for them by identifying goals for improvements, and ultimately, savings in their practices. Read More EMR