News Release: Thompson Launches "Decade of Health Information Technology"

07/21/04

Strategic Report Outlines Steps to Implement Widespread Adoption of Electronic Health Records and New Nationwide Interoperable Health Information Network

HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson today released the first outline of a 10-year plan to transform the delivery of health care by building a new health information infrastructure, including electronic health records and a new network to link health records nationwide. At the same time, he announced a number of new action steps to help advance health information technology immediately

"America needs to move much faster to adopt information technology in our health care system," Secretary Thompson said as he released the action report ordered by President Bush. "Electronic health information will provide a quantum leap in patient power, doctor power, and effective health care. We can't wait any longer."

The plan, prepared by the new National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, David J. Brailer, M.D., Ph.D., lays out the broad steps needed to achieve always-current, always-available electronic health records (EHR) for Americans. EHR systems would also enable physicians and other health professionals to electronically tap into a wealth of treatment information as they care for patients. The report was released in Washington, D.C., at a Secretarial Summit on Health Information Technology bringing together the nation's technology and health leaders.

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