Health Information Technology (HIT)

President Barack Obama has declared the week of September 11-16, 2011, National Health Information Technology Week.

National Health Information Technology Week is a time to highlight the importance of efficient information systems that protect the privacy and security of personal health information while improving the delivery of health care in the United States.

Even if you don’t use a computer, there are new ways to help manage your health information and improve how you and your health care providers communicate. This electronic technology (also called Health Information Technology or Health IT) can help improve the quality of your health care. It can also reduce paperwork, medical errors, and health care costs.

Here are two examples of Health IT that your health care providers might already be using:

U.S. Senator Blanche Lincoln stated, “Community Health Centers are a critical component of what is right and good about health care reform,” during her address to CHCA Annual Conference attendees. Craig Kennedy, Associate VP of Federal and State Affairs for NACHC, expressed his feelings that Community Health Centers are not simply the best model of care for the poor and uninsured, but are the best model of care for all primary health care. These sentiments pervaded this year’s conference. The conference theme, “Inspiring a Culture of Excellence: Innovation, Leadership, Quality,” aimed to prepare the Arkansas CHC staff members, board members, and partners in attendance for the landscape change of health care reform implementation. Over 200 attendees, exhibitors, and sponsors participated in this year’s conference.