health information technology

Insurer Aetna says it will spend about $500 million to buy health information technology company Medicity, which develops systems that allow doctors and hospitals to coordinate care and share information.

(Physicians for a National Health Program) The increased computerization in US hospitals hasn't made them cheaper or more efficient, Harvard researchers say, although it may have modestly improved the quality of care for heart attacks.

The findings contradict claims by President Obama and many lawmakers that health information technology, including electronic medical records, will save billions and help make reform affordable.

The study uses data from the most extensive survey ever undertaken of hospital computerization.

Our elected representatives might want to get used to running into Googlers around Washington.  A fresh lobbying report indicates that Google’s ramped up its efforts in this area by quite a bit.

Between April 1st and June 30th, Google spent $950,000 on lobbying activities.  That represents an increase of 8.0 percent compared to the $880,000 it spent last quarter, and an increase of a whopping 30.1 percent compared to the $730,000 it spent during the second quarter of 2008.

There’s a national dialogue going on right now on health information technology and privacy. Are you a part of the conversation? Maybe you should be.

If you are in the healthcare business, this conversation is going to be critical to how you do business in the coming years.

If your business is not in the healthcare industry, you could still be effected. How? Well, do you have healthcare?

Do you provide healthcare for your employees? This discussion is going to effect and inform healthcare policy as soon as next year, so jump in!