Sebelius touts health IT in HHS Secretary confirmation hearings

In both of her confirmation hearings to become secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services last week, Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius (D-KS) stressed the importance of health care IT. If she is nominated, Sebelius will oversee $2 billion in funding for the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT, and help determine how physicians and hospitals will be paid for using IT to improve care.

In Thursday's testimony before the Senate Finance Committee, Sebelius said that health IT "lays the foundation for a 21^st-century system to reduce medical errors, lower health care costs and empower health consumers. In the next five years, HHS will set the standards for privacy and interoperability, test models and certify the technology, and offer incentives for hospitals and doctors to adopt it." Sebelius is expected to be confirmed as secretary, although probably not until after the congressional recess that begins this week.

To learn more, here's the Healthcare IT News article.

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