The impact of the government on health IT

If you're still trying to figure out how exactly the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will help out the healthcare industry, you're not alone. While initially it may seem as if this subject has more to do with health finance than technology, remember that President Obama is adamant about pushing the use of electronic medical records throughout the country. Although much of the money doled out will be funneled through Medicare and Medicaid to get clinics to adopt such technology, many questions still remain. For instance, what are the costs for implementing electronic medical records, and will the incentives handed out through the stimulus be enough to make such an investment worth trying? 

Also, what about clinics in rural areas, or community clinics? If it costs more for a doctor who lives in the middle of nowhere to adopt an electronic means of keeping track of his or her patients, would he receive additional stimulus help? What are the advantages (besides easier access to patient files) in doing so? While some projections have up to 90 percent of doctors utilizing EMRs within the next decade, can the government truly force everyone to comply? 

There are several sessions that will be held throughout the conference that will try to answer those questions, and more. On Sunday, April 5 at 9:45 a.m., Sen. Richard Moore (D-MA) and Rep. Tim Murphy (R-PA) will talk about the goals of the economic stimulus, and how different members of Congress addressed the needs of their constituencies when creating the legislation. Also, on Monday, April 6 at 1 p.m., Michael Lardiere, of the National Association of Community Health Centers, and Todd Cooper, of Illinois Critical Access Hospital Network, will lead an educational session called "Optimizing the Opportunities in Economic Stimulus for Rural and Community Health."

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