Health Information Technology

Health Information Technology is changing the face of healthcare. Whether as a tool of consumer empowerment or a means of connecting different healthcare providers to facilitate patient safety and continuity of care, it is critical that the benefits of health information technology reach all segments and sectors of the population.

Health information technology has enormous potential to improve patients’ healthcare experience and health outcomes. Electronic health records (EHRs) keep consistent records of patient histories, while improving clinical workflow.  Health information exchanges and personal health records ensure EHRs’ completeness, allowing doctors, specialty care providers, and patients to review and add to medical histories.  Better record keeping and richer medical histories, in turn, guide providers to make the most informed clinical decisions for their patients’ health.  Furthermore, data aggregation of EHR records and health outcomes lets us chart metrics for a clinical subpopulation, a clinic, and larger subpopulations, painting a picture of our nation’s health that can drive healthcare improvement.

Within the region, efforts are underway to foster the meaningful use of electronic medical records, exchange patient health information securely, and aggregate electronic clinic data to improve healthcare quality and delivery. Under the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act, part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009, over $50 million in federal stimulus funds have reached DC, Maryland and Virginia for EMR adoption and health information exchange, particularly in the areas of:

  • Regional Extension Centers (REC): to assist providers in adoption and meaningful use of EHRs ($23 million);
  • Health Information Exchanges (HIE): to enable hospitals, labs, and specialty care providers who have adopted EHRs to exchange patient information consistently and securely, in order to guide clinical decision-making and improve timeliness of care ($26 million); and
  • Workforce Development Programs: to build the workforce of health information technology professionals necessary to meet the demands of HIT adoption and make HIT adoption sustainable ($6 million). (1)

State funding has complemented federal HITECH funding, and organizations in the region have been utilizing these dollars to support HIT adoption by clinics and hospitals in their areas. This section provides additional details about HIT adoption in the region, as well as links to articles and websites about interesting and innovative work being done elsewhere.

(1)  For an overview of the HITECH Act and HITECH grants in the region, Click HERE.