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Health Information Technology Promotion Act of 2006

Date: July 27, 2006
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Health and Health Care


HEALTH INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY PROMOTION ACT OF 2006

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Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Chairman, I yield to myself as much time as I may consume.

I want to thank Representative McMorris for her leadership on this bipartisan issue.

This amendment really gets at the heart of why health care information technology is important in the first place, and there are really two big reasons. Number one, it can significantly improve the quality of care for patients; and, number two, it can significantly reduce health care inflation. Right now, if you want to do anything to improve the quality of health care in this country getting inflation under control is job one so that people can access that.

That is what health care information technology has the promise to do; and this amendment, in particular, focuses on one aspect of it where it could really reduce the costs and improve the quality of care, helping a specific class of patients get the best information possible for the best disease management possible.

All across the world, information is being developed even as we sit here on how to better deal with all kinds of different diseases. But how do we make sure that both patients and providers have real-time access to that best information and employ it? That is what this amendment aims to do. For diabetes patients with Medicaid, it can give us a real case example of how we can save money and improve the quality of care for these patients.

I think there is unbelievable potential if we have the best information possible. Too often now patients do not know what the best care is. Too often providers do not even know at the moment what the best care is; and as a consequence, they do not get it and the patients do not receive it. Health care quality goes down and costs go up, as procedures are either repeated or the wrong procedures are done.

This amendment gives us a great opportunity to do an isolated case study on how to make this work in disease management to improve the quality of care and get costs under control.

Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

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