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Thompson blasts state of
health care IT
 June 16, 2003 HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson last week criticized the use of information technology in the health care industry as �absolutely ridiculous,� but was optimistic that standards could promote IT adoption. �We just have to use information technology more effectively to reduce preventable errors,� Thompson said at an American Association of Health Plans meeting. �We should be able to have a paperless system.� Yet certain steps could pave the way for increased IT use, Thompson said. HHS and the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs recently agreed upon clinical messaging standards for federal health care programs. And the National Committee on Vital and Health Statistics, an advisory panel for HHS, plans to release standards for clinical vocabularies this fall, Health Data Management reports. �Standards and increased use of information technology will save billions and make your lives easier,� Thompson said at the meeting. One way to promote IT, Thompson said, is to use money from government fraud and abuse cases to fund IT efforts (Health Data Management, 6/13). |
