Tennessee officials announced the state will receive federal funding to support hospitals that want to transition from paper-based to electronic health record systems, a move that Congressman Bart Gordon said should have a large impact on efficiency and effectiveness. “Simply put, transitioning to electronic health care records will save money and save lives,” Gordon said. “We could potentially prevent thousands of medical errors every year that are caused by lack of a comprehensive family medical history or poorly maintained records. Today’s announcement puts Tennessee at the forefront of a straightforward but crucially important movement in good health care delivery.”
Tennessee is just one of two states to receive approval so far for an electronic health record implementation plan. Hospitals and health care providers who qualify will receive federally-funded payments to offset the up-front costs of purchasing and operating an electronic system.
Once implemented, electronic health record systems reduce paperwork and limit doctors’ reliance on patients for details on their medical history and medication use, making the intake process more efficient and reducing risks of errors.
“In the current system, the patients serve as the primary recordkeepers. Every appointment begins with questions about medical history, and the quality of care the patient receives may depend on his ability to recall detailed information about drug names and dosages. As our population ages and patients see more specialists, this problem will grow.”
According to a 2008 study by the Tennessee eHealth Advisory Council, shared electronic records systems can cut emergency department costs per visit by 21 percent and helped patients get timely and proper care, resulting in 30 percent fewer services per emergency department visit.
Gordon, who chairs the Committee on Science and Technology, authored a bill in 2007 that created technical standards to ensure interoperability between records systems. The standards created by Gordon’s legislation helps ensure that funding is spent wisely on systems that protect patient information and transfer it effectively. The bill passed as a component of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
“You can put your bank card into an ATM anywhere and know that the card will work, the information will be accurate, and the transaction will be secure,” Gordon said. “If we are to create a seamless, secure network for electronic healthcare information, we need the technical standards that will ensure interoperability and protect privacy.”
