U.S. Government 'must take lead' in health care IT, former Rep. Johnson writes

May 28 2008

There are online tools that "can remember what books you ordered over the last three years," so "why can't your doctor's computer remind him" of the details related to patients' prescription drugs, insurance or other procedures, former Rep. Nancy Johnson (R-Conn.), a senior public policy adviser for Baker Donelson, writes in a Washington Times opinion piece.

According to Johnson, the "technology exists," but the "health care industry has been slow to change." Johnson notes that "[o]nly about 14% of doctors and primarily large hospitals use electronic medical records, and most of those don't have systems that can communicate with other caregivers of their mutual patients." She writes that the "result is incomplete patient records and more than 100,000 deaths annually due to medical errors caused by missing patient data, illegible prescriptions and other notes, and faulty memories."

Johnson continues, "Medical technology is advancing rapidly," but "medical communication is still a morass of paper files, Post-It notes, faxes and phone messages" because of a continued dependence on the "old but comfortable habit of keeping paper records." She writes that it is "time for comfort to give way to progress."

Johnson writes, "The U.S. government must take the lead in promoting health IT and its adoption by health care teams nationwide," adding that in addition to "supportive legislation, the government can help by establishing standards for the technology so systems can communicate with each other, providing incentives for health IT use, and using advanced technologies in its own health programs." Johnson concludes, "U.S. health care is sick," and if "it's to get better, it needs health IT" (Johnson, Washington Times, 5/27).