“I think they are afraid that physicians somehow will be controlled by the information that’s in the record or by guidelines that are in the electronic record,” Dr. Blumenthal said. “An electronic record, however, assembles for the physician all of the information that is relevant to be able to make an effective decision. It gives them what they need to be correct and wise at the point that the decision has to be made. The electronic health record, by bringing all this information together in one place at one time and accessible to the physician, can advance the patient’s health, make the system more efficient and reduce premiums over time as a result. ”

Dr. Blumenthal cited an example from his own experience. While ordering a CT scan on a patient, the computer alerted him that a similar test had already been performed. In fact, “the test had been ordered by another doctor, and as I looked at the results, I didn’t need to order that test,” he said. “I saved the patient the inconvenience and X-ray exposure, and saved the healthcare system the money for that duplicate test. ”

Dr. Blumenthal himself also converted from paper to electronic health records (EHRs), admitting that it was not an easy task, both in terms of changing the way we are used to doing things, as well as from a cost perspective. However, he realized very quickly that, with more information readily available to him, it made him a better physician. He added that the stimulus funds should make the transition easier and, if healthcare is to be improved through the use of EHRs, then, ultimately, “it’s the right thing to do. ”

Although the healthcare information management arena has been relatively slow in catching up to technology, physicians and others in the healthcare industry are starting to see the impact that information technology has had on other industries, and they are ready to utilize technology as a tool as well. With President Obama’s economic stimulus package offering monetary incentives for adoption and use of EHRs through the HITECH Act — which qualifies hospitals and physicians proving “meaningful use” of an EHR for $17 billion worth of incentive payments from Medicare and Medicaid over a five-year period — the transition seems to be more achievable than before.

“It’s an investment that will take the long, overdue step of computerizing America’s medical records to reduce the duplication and waste that costs billions of healthcare dollars and medical errors that cost thousands of lives each year. ” President Obama stated at the signing of the stimulus bill on February 17.

While the exact definition of “meaningful use” will be determined by the HHS at the end of this year, the legislation outlined three requirements: e-Prescription, electronic exchange of health information and reporting of clinical quality measures.

On June 16, the Meaningful Use Workgroup offered its recommendations to the Health IT Policy Committee. In its preamble, the workgroup stated, “The ultimate vision is one in which all patients are fully engaged in their healthcare, providers have real-time access to all medical information and tools to help ensure the quality and safety of the care provided, while also affording improved access and elimination of healthcare disparities. This ‘North star’ must guide our key policy objectives, the advanced care processes needed to achieve them, and lastly, the specific use of information technology that will enable the desired outcomes, and our ability to monitor them. ”

Health IT will play a tremendous role in the realization of this vision, which is highlighted by the Meaningful Use Workgroup’s early call for adoption of EHRs and computerized physician order entry (CPOE), including time- and cost-saving features such as electronic transmission of permissible prescriptions and incorporation of lab test results into EHRs. According to an Institute of Medicine report, an estimated 100,000 people die each year from medical errors in hospitals. EHRs will improve patient safety reporting and data analysis and prevent such errors by providing built-in safety management protocols and risk-assessment tools, including early warnings and alerts. In addition, they will also prevent duplicate tests by reminding physicians about preventive services.

As Dr. Blumenthal mentioned in the Webcast, “Health IT can empower all kinds of improvement in preventive care, in acute care and chronic care. [The doctors] won’t miss when the mammogram is due, or that influenza immunization. We know that prevention is a very important way of avoiding healthcare costs. Finally, by making sure that the administration of bills or of claims is more efficient, it can greatly reduce the waste we all know is part of the administration of our very, very complicated health insurance systems. ”

Healthcare reform is needed, almost everyone will agree, simply because, as a nation, we aspire for quality care. In fact, as President Obama said, “Healthcare reform is no longer just a moral imperative; it’s a fiscal imperative. If we want to create jobs and rebuild our economy and get our federal budget under control, then we have to address the crushing costs of healthcare this year in this administration. ”

However, how it will be achieved is always debatable. At least one thing is certain: that it will require a meticulous and committed approach and cooperation between all the players in the healthcare arena. To that end, the role of health IT through the use of EHRs as a major player is both critical and inevitable at the same time. In terms of long-term savings as a result of health IT, analysts at RAND Corporation estimate the figure to be about $77 billion a year. Hence, the challenge lies not in its necessity — whether it should be done. Rather, it lies in the approach — how it should be done.

Many have and will continue to raise myriad concerns, whether from a technology, privacy or security point of view. However, as stated by Dr. Blumenthal, “It is a journey we must take if we are to improve care through the use of EHRs. ” As we progress towards the ultimate vision, utilizing technology to provide secure, timely and logically organized access to health information will become more realistic, imperative and ultimately meaningful. And yes, it is the right thing to do.