BusinessWeek Profiles Efforts To Establish National Electronic Health Records Network

The Oct. 31 issue of BusinessWeek profiles National Coordinator for Health Information Technology David Brailer, who seeks to "impose the kind of total quality management approach" used by General Electric and Toyota Motor on "one of the most chaotic and complex sectors of the economy." In May 2004, President Bush named Brailer to lead an effort to establish electronic health records for most U.S. residents by 2014. Since his appointment, Brailer has visited 40 states to place "his issue and himself on the map." In addition, Brailer has begun construction of the National Health Information Network. The health care IT effort has received bipartisan support but faces a number of problems. For example, "many cash-strapped hospitals and small-practice doctors have no interest in footing the bill for a medical Internet," which they believe will benefit health insurers most, BusinessWeek reports. Patients also have concerns that EHRs might compromise their privacy (Mullaney, BusinessWeek, 10/31).

http://www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/print_report.cfm?DR_ID=33417&dr_cat=3
Monday, October 31, 2005