Health IT Overview

HITECH and Implications for California

Testimony of Jonah Frohlich, Senior Program OfficerCalifornia HealthCare FoundationSenate Health Committee HearingMarch 13, 2009

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Health Care as a Cottage Industry

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Vendor Landscape

3

Over 90 EHR vendors offe

r

independently certified systems

Over 90 EHR vendors offe

r

independently certified systems

CALIFORNIA HEALTHCARE FOUNDATION

CALIFORNIA HEALTHCARE FOUNDATION

CALIFORNIA HEALTHCARE FOUNDATION

CALIFORNIA HEALTHCARE FOUNDATION

CALIFORNIA HEALTHCARE FOUNDATION

Percent

“Meaningful Use” of Ambulatory EHRs in the US

- New England Journal of Medicine, Catherine M. DesRoches et al, July 3, 2008

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Implementation Challenges

EHRs are expensive to implement

Standards are not yet entrenched to allow for easy information exchange

Small practices, clinics and hospitals need support to:

o Negotiate contracts

o Implement the technology and interfaces

o Confront the reality of using a complex technology everyday