MINNEAPOLIS, June 5, 2008—A representative of the AMA told a congressional subcommittee how Congress might overcome current barriers to the adoption of an interoperable, connected HIT system.

AMA Trustee Steven J. Stack, M.D., testified before the Health Subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

“If HIT systems are appropriately implemented and truly interoperable, widespread HIT adoption has the potential to transform the way physicians practice medicine,” Stack told members of the subcommittee.

“The promise of HIT is that physicians will receive information in real-time that will lead to dramatic improvements in quality care. It will be like going from a horse-and-buggy to a bullet train: week-long delays for patient records and comprehensive medication information will become a relic of the past as real-time clinically relevant information will be at a physician’s fingertips while caring for patients.”

The AMA provided the following input to help shape legislation that addresses the technology and privacy concerns that many physicians currently harbor as they consider purchasing HIT:

• Strengthen the HIPAA Privacy Rule by holding all parties that have access to patient health information directly accountable for compliance with privacy standards.
• Increase physician representation and involvement in the Advisory Committee process that will develop technical standards, specifications for connectivity, implementation and interoperability, and criteria for certification.

“As we work to speed adoption of HIT, it’s important to recognize that physicians facing nearly a decade of steep Medicare payment cuts are hesitant to make expensive HIT purchases,” said Stack.

“More than two-thirds of physicians tell the AMA they will be forced to defer HIT purchases if this year’s cut occurs in July as planned," Stack said. "It is imperative that Congress take action to replace 18 months of Medicare cuts with payment updates that better reflect increases in medical practice costs.”