[Med-privacy] states

[Peter Marshall]

GOAL IS ELECTRONIC HEALTH RECORDS. PATH IS STATE BY STATE.
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Reed Abelson]

In the nation=92s ambitious quest to bring information technology to the=20=

practice of medicine, state governments are beginning to play a=20
critical role in shepherding new systems into hospitals and doctors=92=20=

offices, health experts say. Governors and legislators, for starters,=20
are embarking on a variety of strategies to encourage the use of=20
electronic health records and other innovations. The primary effort has=20=

been to encourage the use of electronic health records, so that doctors=20=

statewide can have access to patient records. State officials have=20
begun convening task forces of hospitals, doctors, insurers and other=20
groups to develop plans for such regional systems. Many states were=20
prompted to action by the federal government=92s call to arms in 2004 to=20=

develop electronic patient records throughout the United States. Like=20
the states, the government is trying to coordinate the various efforts=20=

under way. Federal officials are also developing national standards for=20=

the technology.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/27/technology/circuits/27health.html