By Jim McLean
KHI News Service
TOPEKA, July 17
U.S. Rep. Dennis Moore has introduced legislation to promote the development of a nationwide health information technology network.
The bill
H.R. 2991
would allow individuals to submit their medical records to health record trusts, which would manage them electronically. The trusts would ensure the security, confidentiality and privacy of the medical information.
The other three members of the Kansas delegation to the House
1st District Republican Jerry Moran, 2nd District Democrat Nancy Boyda and 4th District Republican Todd Tiahrt
are among 35 co-sponsors of the bipartisan bill, which was introduced last week.
“I believe there is no better way to transition the medical community from paper-based medical records than by adopting independent health record trusts,” said Moore, a 3rd District Democrat.
Under the bill, individuals would own their records but would select a trust to maintain them and share them with healthcare providers. To ensure privacy, individuals could compartmentalize access to information. For example, they could structure the information so that their dermatologist wouldn”t have access to their mental health records.
“This forward-looking plan would utilize market forces to drive the creation of a fully interoperable, nationwide HIT network, while also taking additional steps to protect the privacy of sensitive medical information,” Moore said. “Our health care system is plagued by rising costs and declining quality of care. If we fail to act now, the situation will only get worse.”
The issue of electronic medical records also is being discussed at the state level. In February, Gov. Kathleen Sebelius issued an executive order creating the Governor”s Health Information Exchange Commission. The commission is working to establish regional systems that could be used by health care providers, consumers, researchers and policymakers to share medical records, test results and other data.
In her executive order, Sebelius estimated that health information exchanges could save $140 billion a year nationwide by reducing duplicative care, avoiding medical errors and lowering administrative costs. But currently, only about 20 percent of physician offices use electronic health records.
“I don”t think there is any disagreement that somewhere between 29 cents and 35 cents of every dollar spent on health care is spent on overhead,” Sebelius told commission members at their first meeting in March “Not only is that an enormous amount of money, but it drives everybody crazy.”
-Jim McLean is a staff writer for KHI News Service, which specializes in coverage of health issues facing Kansans. He can be reached at
jmclean@khi.org
or at 785-233-5443, ext. 110.