H.R. 3800 would advance the adoption of nationwide interoperable health information technology and to improve health care quality and reduce health care costs in the United States.
Detailed Summary
Promoting Health Information Technology Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to establish the Office of the National Coordinator of Health Information Technology.
Establishes a public-private Partnership for Health Care Improvement to recommend specific actions to achieve a nationwide interoperable health information technology infrastructure. Provides for the adoption by the federal government of standards for the electronic exchange of health information.
Establishes the American Health Information Community to provide advice to the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the heads of any relevant federal agencies concerning the policy considerations related to health information technology.
Authorizes the Secretary to award grants for the: (1) purchase of qualified health information technology systems; (2) implementation of regional or local health information plans; and (3) development of academic curricula integrating qualified health information technology systems in the clinical education of health professionals.
Requires the Secretary to provide for the development and use of health care quality measures to measure the quality and efficiency of health care that patients receive.
Extends health information privacy requirements to an operator of a health information electronic database. Gives individuals the right to inspect and obtain a copy of their protected health information stored in electronic format.
Directs the Comptroller General to report on the circumstances in which it is necessary and workable to require that individuals be notified if their individually identifiable health information is wrongly disclosed.
Requires the Secretary, acting through the Director of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, to develop a Health Information Technology Resource Center.
Status of the Legislation
Latest Major Action: 10/10/2007: Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Points in Favor
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Points Against
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Visitor Comments
Rmosler
Who actually votes against this stuff?
Daniel Castro
ITIF, a non-partisan think tank recently released a report on the benefits of electronic health records, the current obstacles to adoption, and strategies to overcome these obstacles. One recommendation was to establish national standards for health information, which this bill will help establish. The report is available online at
http://www.itif.org/files/HealthIT.pdf