New York State health IT strategy may be model for ...( NEW YORK (March 10 2009) -- Health i...),Health

NEW YORK (March 10, 2009) -- Health information technology programs implemented in New York state are active and functioning a full two years after being established, and could serve as models for new federal initiatives, according to a study by investigators at Weill Cornell Medical College.

"Programs such as these could transform the way health care is delivered nationally and locally," says senior author Dr. Rainu Kaushal, chief of the Division of Quality and Clinical Informatics and associate professor of pediatrics, public health and medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College.

If implemented correctly, information technology (IT) systems -- including electronic health records -- have the potential to improve quality of care, increase efficiency and cost savings, reduce medical errors, and enhance continuity of care.

"Ideally, a doctor treating a patient will have access to the patient's entire medical history at the point of care," says lead researcher Dr. Lisa Kern, assistant professor of public health and medicine and the Nanette Laitman Clinical Scholar in Public HealthClinical Evaluation at Weill Cornell Medical College. "For example, I'm better able to avoid an adverse drug event if I know what the patient's cardiologist prescribed the patient yesterday."

The findings were published in the March 10 issue of Health Affairs, a special themed issue on health information technology. Dr. Kaushal and Dr. Kern represented New York state at a briefing in Washington, D.C., held the same day to coincide with the release of the journal issue.

The federal government is poised to pour $19 billion into health information technology as part of the new economic stimulus package.

At present, New York state is substantially ahead of the game, with approximately $250 million allocated for health information technology and, specifically, electronic health records that can connect to other health IT systems thro
'/>"/>