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A new report from the State Alliance for e-Health aims to help states lead the way in using health IT and health information exchange (HIE) and guide them as they begin instituting the federal Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act.
The State Alliance for e-Health, a consensus-based, executive-level body composed of governors, state legislators, attorney generals and state commissioners, was created by the National Governors' Association (NGA) Center for Best Practices in 2006 to address the role states can play in facilitating adoption of health IT and HIE.
The report, "Preparing to Implement HITECH: A State Guide for Electronic Health Information Exchange," recommends actions states should begin undertaking now to successfully implement the HITECH Act. The recommendations include:
· preparing or updating the state plan for HIE adoption;
· engaging stakeholders;
· establishing a state leadership office to manage the different phases of HIE implementation;
· preparing state agencies to participate, implementing privacy strategies and reforms;
· determining the HIE business model;
· creating a communications strategy; and
· establishing opportunities for health IT training and education.
"States already have taken the lead in modernizing the health care system by advancing the use of health IT, electronic health records, e-prescribing and electronic exchange of health information," said Vermont Gov. Jim Douglas, NGA chair and co-chair of the State Alliance. "We now have an opportunity to accelerate adoption of health IT across the states and create a truly comprehensive health care system that is effective, affordable and accountable."
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