* Codify and Authorize the following:

A. Codify HITSP as the National Standards Harmonization Body responsible for collaborating with the public and private sector to achieve a widely accepted and useful set of standards to enable the widespread interoperability among healthcare software applications. Adequate funding should be authorized and appropriated for HITSP from FY10 - FY14.


B. Codify a Senior Level Health IT Leader within the Administration to oversee a national health IT strategy.

C. Authorize a Federal Advisory and Coordinating Body for Health IT. Based on the experiences of the AHIC and its Successor organization, the US Congress should authorize a federal advisory committee - operating under the Federal Advisory Committee Act - responsible for advising the Administration on health IT initiatives throughout the US and coordinating standards harmonization through collaboration with HITSP and CCHIT.

- Conduct a White House Summit on Healthcare Reform through Information Technology to develop consensus and propose solutions to critical, national health IT issues within the context of the larger national healthcare reform effort.

"While most experts in the health IT profession recognize that the long-term benefits of moving towards a more modernized healthcare delivery system will vastly outweigh the short-term costs, we also recognize that these short-term costs are being proposed during a time of significant economic uncertainty," said H. Stephen Lieber, HIMSS President and CEO. "We are convinced that moving forward with health IT now will not only be critical to ensuring sustainable positive change for consumers, but will also provide an immediate economic stimulus in the way of new jobs across the healthcare sector."

"The promise of information technology to help transform our nation's healthcare systems has been widely recognized for some time, with numerous private and public entities working to leverage federal programs to advance the use of health IT across management and delivery systems," said Rep. Patrick J. Kennedy (D-RI), Chair of the 21st Century Health Care Caucus. "Health IT can lead to reduced costs by creating greater efficiency, reducing mistakes and promoting evidence-based best practices. I remain committed to working in support of healthcare policies that will reform our nation's healthcare system, an issue the incoming Administration has stated will be among its top priorities. I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle on this extremely important policy reform which includes health IT as an integral component."

More Industry Headlines