Schwarzenegger issues HIT mandate

Jumping on board an initiative kicked off by HHS secretary Michael Leavitt, California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has signed an order pushing healthcare providers to adopt more health information technology and make pricing and quality information more readily available. The state, which has set a goal of 100 percent electronic data exchange within 10 years, will now push for HIT by supporting organizations that use e-prescribing and other health data exchange technologies.

The California Medical Association reacted somewhat negatively to the governor's announcement, stating that while it's all in favor of health IT adoption, it's against anything that imposes new costs on practices that can't foot the bill. "Many small practices and practices operating in poor and rural areas cannot afford some technologies and, in some cases, don't have high-speed Internet access," noted a CMA statement. "Without financial assistance, the governor's mandate would be an undue burden for these doctors."

To learn more about the new requirements:
- read this Sacramento Business Journal article
- see the California Medical Association's press release
- read the governor's executive order

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