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National Health IT week 2009 to serve as a neutral platform for national public and private healthcare constituents.

AS the Obama Administration designated 2009, an year of healthcare transformation, This year's National Health IT Week (September 21-25, 2009) will deliver a timely message on the potential for health information technology ( HIT) to enhance the national healthcare system. National Health IT Week is a collaborative forum which serves the purpose of a neutral platform wherein constituents -vendors, provider organizations, payers, pharmaceutical/biotech companies, government agencies, industry/professional associations, research foundations, and consumer protection groups can increase awareness about the value of healthIT.

National Health IT week 2009 is in its fourth year and this year the collaborators and participants will join together to inform the nation’s policymakers about the importance of fostering widespread health IT adoption to improve patient safety and healthcare quality. In years past, both the House and the Senate have passed resolutions expressing support for the designation and goals of “National Health Information Technology Week.”

“Since 2009, organizations across the country have come together to support National Health Information Technology Week and its goals to improve public awareness regarding the potential benefits of improved quality and cost efficiency,” said Congressman Patrick Kennedy (D-RI), Cochair, 21st Century Health Care Caucus and moderator of the National Health IT Week News Conference on Capitol Hill on Tuesday, Sept. 22 at 11 a.m. “Imagine what we could achieve for our nation’s healthcare system by implementing even a few health information technology initiatives.”

This year's Health Information Technology Week is more significant as the The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) by Federal government includes more than $20 billion to aid in the development of a robust IT infrastructure for healthcare and to assist providers and other entities in adopting and using health IT. Top Congressional leaders on healthcare and health IT industry leaders are set to speak on Capitol Hill at the National Health IT Week news conference about developments surrounding ARRA and healthcare reform.

“Under the current paper system, when a person is traveling or in the case of emergency, doctors may not have immediate access to a patient’s paper medical records. Health IT brings the 18th century medical paper file system into 21st century medical care by providing crucial information in a secure and confidential manner in a matter of seconds. I am once again proud to be participating in National Health IT week to further draw attention to the need to increase the use of this valuable life saving technology that will also help reduce the cost of healthcare,” said Congressman Murphy.

Source: HIMMS