ACP supports new bill to promote adoption of health information ...( ecision support software and patient r...),Health

ecision support software, and patient registries. The systems would give physicians instant access to crucial patient information, deliver current medical research information, and best clinical practice information to the physician at the point-of-care, when the physician needs it.

The bill includes one-time financial incentives to encourage provider adoption of HIT through grants, loans, and tax deductions to support the ability of physicians and other providers in small practices to acquire electronic medical records. But more importantly it provides sustained funding, through changes in Medicare reimbursement, to support continued use of such technologies by authorizing an add-on payment to Medicare office visits when supported by such technologies and separate payment for e-mail consultations that meet defined standards of appropriateness. Because HIT's real value is to support quality improvement in physician practices, the legislation directs the Secretary of the Department Health and Human Services to establish conditions for physicians to be eligible to receive the financial support and Medicare reimbursement incentives, such as by voluntary participation in federal quality improvement projects and in studies on the impact of health information technology on improving patient care. Finally, the bill waives budget neutrality rules for the Medicare reimbursement changes.

"We urge Congress to get behind this bill as an effective and cost-effective way to begin improving the quality of patient care through effective use of HIT," said Dr. Kirk.

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Contact: David Kinsman
dkinsman@acponline.org
202-261-4554
American College of Physicians
19-Apr-2007

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