Governor Warner Announces Appointments to New Task Force on Information Technology in Health Care

Governor Warner Announces Appointments to New Task Force on Information Technology in Health Care

— Electronic Health Records could make health care more effective and affordable —

RICHMOND - Governor Mark R. Warner today announced the appointment of 33 individuals to his recently created Governor's Task Force on Information Technology in Health Care. The Task Force is responsible for developing and implementing a state health information system that better uses technology and electronic health record (EHR) systems to improve the quality and cost-effectiveness of health care in Virginia.

"As health care costs continue to rise and the Medicaid program consumes nearly $4 billion a year in Virginia, technology offers the greatest promise to reduce costs and improve our health care system," said Governor Warner. "This task force will study how Virginia can maximize the power of technology to help us save lives and save money."

According to the Institute of Medicine, EHR systems can help prevent medical errors and save lives by providing physicians with immediate access to patients' information including medications, allergies, vital signs, progress reports, past medical history, laboratory data, and radiology reports.

Health care information technology can also result in significant cost savings for patients and providers. Advanced information technology and EHR systems reduce paperwork and eliminate duplicate testing and treatments for patients, saving patients and physicians time and money.

The Governor's Task Force on Information Technology in Health Care will evaluate the use of EHR, additional data collection systems, and other technologies to improve Virginia's health information structures. The group of health care and IT professionals will also study how to ensure that patient privacy and security of health information is maintained.

Several of Virginia's leading health care facilities already use advanced health care information technology systems. In 2001, the Danville Regional Health System began a medication barcode system that prevents more than 100 medicine errors per month. The system equips patients with barcode bracelets that match the barcodes on their appropriate medications. Governor Warner recently received a demonstration on the new EHR technology at VCU Health System based in Richmond.

Governor Warner created the Task Force by executive directive on January 14. The Task Force's first meeting will be Tuesday, May 24, 2005, at 1:00 p.m. in House Room D of the General Assembly Building. The Task Force is scheduled to deliver a preliminary report to the Governor and the General Assembly by November 1.

The following individuals have been appointed to the Governor's Task Force on Information Technology in Health Care:

* Carolyn W. Bagley of Victoria, EHealth Project Director, Community Care Network of Virginia;
* Christopher S. Bailey of Richmond, Senior Vice-President with the Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association;
* Barbara Baldwin of Richmond, Chief Information Officer for the University of Virginia Health Systems;
* David L. Bernd of Virginia Beach, President and Chief Executive Officer of Sentara Health Care;
* Stephen Borowitz, M.D. of Charlottesville, Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Virginia Health Sciences Center;
* Jeffrey Burke of Midlothian, Executive Vice-President and South Division Chief Information Officer for Bon Secours Health System, Inc.
* James E. Burns, M.D. of Ruckersville, Deputy Commissioner for Public Health Programs and Chief Information Officer for the Virginia Department of Health;
* Kippy Cassell of Axton, Director of Information and Technology for Piedmont Community Services;
* Aneesh Chopra of Arlington, Managing Director of H*Works Business Development for the Advisory Board Company
* Margaret Cornett of Greenbelt, Director of IT Applications for Inova Health System;
* Don E. Detmer, M.D. of Crozet, President and Chief Executive Officer of the American Medical Informatics Association;
* John J. Dreyzehner, M.D. of Abingdon, Director of the Cumberland Plateau Health District;
* Kevin W. Fergusson, M.D. of Richmond, Medical Director of the Virginia Health Quality Center;
* Patrick W. Finnerty of Midlothian, Director of the Department of Medical Assistance Services;
* Brian P. Foley of Alexandria, Special Assistant to the President for Medical Education Campus Enterprise at Northern Virginia Community College;
* Carl F. Gattuso of Glen Allen, Executive Vice-President, Chief Corporate Officer and Interim Chief Information Officer for the Virginia Commonwealth University Health System;
* Doug Gray of Richmond, Executive Director of the Virginia Association of Health Plans;
* Richardson Grinnan, M.D. of Richmond, former Senior Vice-President for Quality Management at Trigon Blue Cross and Blue Shield;
* Leigh Thompson Hanes of Roanoke, Counsel at Sands, Anderson, Mark & Miller;
* Frederick J. Hannett of Arlington, Founder and President of the Capitol Alliance, Inc.;
* David Hollins of Richmond, Director of Information Services for HCA, Central Atlantic Division;
* Leonard L. Hopkins, Jr. of Richmond, Vice President of Government Relations for Anthem Blue Cross, Blue Shield;
* The Honorable Janet D. Howell of Reston, member of the Virginia Senate;
* J. Goodlett McDaniel, R.N. of Fairfax, Director of Distance Learning for the George Mason University College of Nursing & Health Sciences;
* G. Gilmer Minor, III of Richmond, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Owens and Minor;
* The Honorable John O'Bannon, M.D. of Richmond, member of the Virginia House of Delegates;
* Carol B. Pugh, Pharm.D. of Glen Allen, Healthcare Data Consultant for the Department of Community Outreach of the Virginia Commonwealth University Medical System;
* Bert Reese of Virginia Beach, Vice President and Chief Information Officer of Sentara Healthcare;
* James Reinhard, M.D. of Richmond, Commissioner of the Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation, and Substance Abuse Services;
* Rebecca Snead, R.Ph. of Chester, Executive Director of the Virginia Pharmacist Association;
* Gregory S. Walton of Roanoke, Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer for Carilion Health System;
* The Honorable Jane H. Woods of Richmond, Virginia Secretary of Health and Human Resources and former member of the Virginia Senate and the Virginia House of Delegates;
* The Honorable Eugene J. Huang of Richmond, Virginia Secretary of Technology.

http://www.governor.virginia.gov/Press_Policy/Releases/2005/May05/0523.htm