U.S. to Dole Out $1.2 Billion for Health Records Technology
Biden said about half the grant money would help establish 70 technology-extension centers that will assist hospitals and other medical providers in choosing and utilizing the equipment. The rest is directed to state initiatives to create or expand medical information sharing networks. Billions more is set to flow to doctors, hospitals and other care providers next year in the form of reimbursements for the equipment they buy. Full Story »
Posted by Oliver Jones
The real issues in this part of the debate are two: --the massive not-invented-here syndrome that guides the thinking of non-VA hospitals --the fact that private-practice physicians have been carefully trained by big pharma to believe that they should be PAID to consider innovations in the way they work. Obviously those are generalizations, and many institutions and practicioners don't follow them. But to get widespread adoption many places and people will demand to be paid. Never mind that it will make them more effective.