Health IT projected to continue advances
In the wake of Tuesday's election results, the move forward on improved health information technology and the cost savings it could provide should continue, according to a variety of experts.
Interoperability will continue as a main focus in 2013, with the administration pushing ahead on its health reform initiatives after President Obama's re-election, noted the Bureau of National Affairs.
Various provisions of the Affordable Care Act will continue to advance as new strategies and technologies are developed to improve the exchange of health information, especially between different systems that are used by accountable care organizations, medical home models and readmission programs at hospitals.
While political battles mar many aspects of the health reform law, some feel that the efficiencies that health information technology promises have paved the way for bipartisanship. That should ease adoption of new systems, although increased oversight and scrutiny of technology initiatives can be expected, a senior adviser for healthcare transformation and technology at the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions said in the BNA report.“For a long time, we've taken for granted that health IT has broad bipartisan support, and, for the most part, it does,” said Deloitte's Harry Greenspun.
Lack of EHR interoperability and software issues compose the lion's share of problems providers and health care organizations deal with in HIT implementation.
