Leading Tennessee-based Health Information Technology Company Applauds President Bush's Focus on Health Innovations to Control Costs and Reduce Medica
5 February 2006
Shared Health -- a company offering innovative and secure Health Information Technology (HIT) solutions -- applauds President Bush's vision for expanding the use of electronic health records (EHRs) to improve healthcare quality and lower costs in 2006, as outlined in his State of the Union address earlier this week. Shared Health's HIT platform has been adopted by the State of Tennessee's Medicaid Program. It is a working example of how positive systemic change can transform the healthcare delivery system in the state of Tennessee and beyond. The technology has a track record for improving quality by reducing medical errors and controlling costs. The program is projected to return annually $3-$4 for every $1 invested, over a 3 year period.
"With more than 70 million baby boomers reaching retirement age, and Medicare and Medicaid programs not predicted to keep pace, Shared Health commends the President for recognizing HIT as a practical and essential money-saving solution," said Jana Skewes, CEO of Shared Health. Healthcare costs for Americans over age 65 could increase to nearly $16 trillion per year by the year 2030. The trend of annual increases in healthcare costs paints a bleak picture for ensuring the solvency of government entitlement programs.
The state of Tennessee is already leading the national HIT initiative by connecting clinicians with health information for nearly one million Medicaid beneficiaries through Shared Health's patient-centric EHR. The Shared Health EHR allows multiple clinicians treating the same patient to view that patient's medical information via a secure Web portal at the point of care, across multiple disciplines.
"Tennessee's progress is indicative of how technology is evolving and how -- with hard work, collaboration, and creative thinking -- healthcare can benefit," added Skewes.
HIT is bringing the healthcare delivery system into the 21st century, by providing greater accuracy, increased safety and efficiency, and ultimately, more effective treatment and measurable quality outcomes for patients. Shared Health looks forward to supporting the President and Administration as HIT initiatives expand in 2006.
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Shared Health(tm) is transforming healthcare by offering innovative health information technology solutions that improve quality and lower cost. Shared Health's web-based applications securely share and connect medical information across a patients' network of clinicians. Ultimately, Shared Health will engage consumers by providing them with access to their own healthcare information. Additional information about Shared Health is available at http://www.sharedhealth.com .
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Source: usnewswire
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