The impact of health reform on health IT

According to former Wyoming Governor Jim Geringer, one of the main reasons for the seemingly slow adoption of technology in the healthcare sector is the uncertainty of success. "Medical technology takes a while to catch on," Geringer said at Monday's HIMSS09 session entitled The Intersection of Healthcare Reform and Health IT. "You have to be prepared for a lag until people feel comfortable using it."

Still, Geringer believes that before the technology can change, the methodology needs to change. "We focus on clients out there in terms of market share," he said. "Those who can't pay are seen as liabilities, and that needs to change."

How realistic that vision is, with $19.1 billion set to come down the pipe for health IT reform, remains to be seen. While patient care should be the ultimate bottom line, money definitely talks. Rep. Phil Gingrey (R-GA) thinks that one way to save money in terms of reform is to pick up where [the last administration] left off.

"I support the president in his efforts, but I hope that he doesn't think that we need to reinvent the wheel," Gingrey said. "We don't necessarily have to scrap everything that the last administration did and start fresh."

Despite all of the aid being given to healthcare reform, Gingrey does not want to see providers limited by the federal government. He believes that too many rules and regulations could begin to tie the hands of physicians, and may even contradict themselves in some areas.

 However, when healthcare organizations are playing with the government's money, that could wind up being wishful thinking.

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