Focus on care quality and health outcomes

The leadership in the US is focussing on care quality and health outcomes when monitoring the effects of Health IT investments. The investment program made possible under ARRA has to contribute to the innovation of healthcare itself and not focus solely on the administrative and efficiency needs that are the consequence of healthcare reform. This has been the message of three keynote speeches during the Health Level 7 Plenary and Working Group Meeting in Atlanta this week. Speakers were John Tooker (American College of Physicians), Janet Corrigan (National Quality Forum) and David Blumenthal (Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology). This message will focus the business cases that we develop for the Health Information Exchanges to be implemented in each of the states. Will this be realistic without a financial stimulus to provide high quality care and better health outcomes?

About the author

Principal Consultant for Strategic Health IT with an international perspective and a passion for improving the healthcare experience. Part of Capgemini Consulting Public & Health sector in The Netherlands. Active participant in Capgemini's Global Healthcare Network. Background in computer science and business administration. Active in the healthcare provider space, university teaching and research, and leadership in standards development organizations for health information exchange. Current roles include: Professor of eHealth at the department of Health Technology and Services Research at the University of Twente, Chair of CEN Technical Committee 251 on Health Informatics, Co-chair of the HL7 International Council, and Chair of HL7 The Netherlands.

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2 Responses to Focus on care quality and health outcomes

omega-3 says:

November 6, 2009 at 7:04 am

I have read the article based on the Quality and health outcomes.I agree with the point that The leadership in the US is focussing on care quality and health outcomes when monitoring the effects of Health IT investments.Health investment is not a bad choice but in that case it also affects the quality level and many more aspects.

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Robert Stegwee says:

November 24, 2009 at 9:51 am

Thank you for responding. Are there any specific other aspects, beyond quality and outcomes, that you are looking at? I know that many health authorities and governments are looking to Health IT to bring about substantial efficiency gains, however the evidence of that happening is still limited.

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