Adoption of new technologies can transform healthcare system

According to Julie Klapstein, CEO of leading health information network Availity, LLC, “Technology adoption by health care providers will be a key determinant in the speed with which our nation’s health care system is transformed, and the speed at which patients and providers benefit from better clinical outcomes.”

“A solution that is not comfortable for health care-providers-as-technology-consumers will not be adopted widely. Only when providers are comfortable [with new technologies] will our health care system extract peak benefit from the time-saving, money-saving and even life-saving advancements delivered through information technology.”

Based on her company’s experience in the health information marketplace, Klapsteftechnoin summarizes her chapter in the newly-released book Paper Kills, 2.0 by saying, “A solution that is not comfortable for health care-providers-as-technology-consumers will not be adopted widely. Only when providers are comfortable [with new technologies] will our health care system extract peak benefit from the time-saving, money-saving and even life-saving advancements delivered through information technology.”

Newt Gingrich, founder of the Center for Health Transformation and former Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, agrees. As co-author of the book’s foreword with former U.S. Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, and advocate for a 21st Century Intelligent Health System that saves lives and saves money, Gingrich says, “The adoption of technology is an accelerator that can and will transform health information technology, and by extension, affect lasting systemic change.”

Paper Kills 2.0 is the timely, powerful sequel to the award-winning book, Paper Kills. In it, Gingrich, Daschle, and other national leaders explore the leading information technologies that can and will transform the nation’s health system. With a specific look at the impact of the federal ARRA investment, Paper Kills 2.0 is a thought-provoking book that explores the most important drivers of health IT, from innovation, primary care, and clinical research to e-prescribing, electronic administration, and health information exchange.

According to Klapstein, “All of us have experienced the role of the Internet in transforming our lives by opening our access to information, beyond what we could have imagined just a few decades earlier. Similarly, I have seen hospitals and physicians’ offices transform and improve the way they manage their businesses by implementing comprehensive information systems, and embracing change where it begins—at the individual level. With the Internet as an enabler, these businesses are now connected to a broader stakeholder community and they’re improving communication of critical healthcare information, improving clinical outcomes for patients, and driving cost out of the system.” Klapstein adds that technology adoption is especially critical in assuring the success of collaborative efforts that span public and private sector solutions.

With praise from luminaries such as Dr. Mehmet Oz, Mike Leavitt, Bill Frist, and Jeff Immelt of GE, Paper Kills 2.0 is required reading for industry leaders, providers, and policymakers who want to understand what is happening today and what will likely happen tomorrow to bring healthcare into the 21st century.