"We have the opportunity with interoperable health information technology to dependably measure price and quality in healthcare. That adds up to value and is critical to changing America's healthcare system," Secretary Leavitt said.
The summit drew hundreds of national, regional and state healthcare decision makers to Washington to discuss current policies related to both quality and health information technology (HIT) emerging from the Administration, Congress, the fifty states, and the private sector. On Monday, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Mark McClellan, MD, PhD offered remarks related to improving patient care through HIT and electronic prescribing, purchasing for value, and related topics. Also on Monday, Robert M. Kolodner, MD, made his inaugural speech at the summit as the new Interim National Coordinator for Health Information Technology. And today, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Director Carolyn Clancy, MD will offer remarks at a special session on pay for performance.
"Policies related to both quality and health information technology are emerging as a top priority for leaders in the Administration, in Congress and at the state and regional level," said Janet Marchibroda, eHI's chief executive officer. "With the confluence of efforts in both the private and public sectors in both of these areas -- quality and health information technology -- we now have the opportunity to significantly improve the quality, safety and effectiveness of healthcare for all Americans."
On Monday, leaders from 45 states convened in a "National Assembly of State Leaders" to share lessons learned, best practices and strategies for improving health and healthcare through information and information technology. The summit's focus on state activities is vital, as a majority of states in the nation are now getting engaged in HIT planning or implementation, and are looking to both national experts and their peers, to increase the likelihood of success. State participants leveraged both a "state source guide" developed by eHI for the event, as well as the just-launched results of eHI's Third Annual Survey of Health Information Exchange Efforts at the State, Regional and Community Levels.
Monday evening, public and private sector leaders met to honor three state policy makers who are leveraging HIT to improve health and healthcare for the citizens in their states:
- Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen was honored for his ongoing role in support of the development of a system of electronic heath records to support the citizens of his state
- Vermont Gov. James Douglas was honored for his role in supporting the development of a common HIT infrastructure, working with the state's Legislature and Department of Health, and partnering with the Vermont Information Technology Leaders (VITL), a multi-stakeholder non-profit corporation working to implement HIT statewide
- Michigan Rep. Gary Newell, vice chair of the state's House Health Policy Committee, was honored for introducing and championing passage of a bill to establish an HIT and infrastructure development fund to allow Michigan healthcare providers to create a system of information sharing on a statewide basis
