The State of Health Information Technology in Texas

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(No Transcript)
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The State of Health Information Technology in
Texas
Stephen Palmer Texas Health Care Policy
Council Office of Governor Rick Perry
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Key Questions

• Why do we care about health information
  technology and why is it worth talking about?
• Where is Texas on health IT adoption and
  implementation?
• What planning and policy development activities
  are currently underway at the state and federal
  levels to promote health IT?
• What does the future hold for health IT in Texas?

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Health Information Technology

• Clinical health IT tools
• Electronic medical records
• Electronic prescribing
• Computerized physician order entry
• Etc.
• Health information exchange

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Why do we care about health IT?

• Quality of care
• Reduction in duplicate services
• Reduction in adverse drug events
• Emergency preparedness
• Bio-surveillance
• Administrative efficiency

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Necessary Conditions

• Widespread use of clinical health IT tools by
  providers
• Capacity for health information exchange

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Clinical Improvements Needed

• Quality gaps
• Lack of consistent appropriate treatment
• Many deaths each year due to preventable medical
  errors
• Improvements possible through health information
  technology
• Adherence to guidelines
• Medication reconciliation
• Improved communication

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Benefits of Health IT

• Cost-benefit analysis
• Estimated 77.8 billion annual, national savings
  from an electronic health information
  infrastructure.
• Estimated 14.2 billion annual, Texas savings
  from an electronic health information
  infrastructure.
• Texas-specific data
• Probably high

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Where is Texas on health IT adoption and
implementation?

• Electronic medical records
• 27 of physicians have implemented
• 46 of physicians plan to implement
• Regional health information organizations
• Rural areas
• Mid-sized markets
• Urban markets

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State Agencies and Health IT

• Electronic health records
• Health passport
• Personal health records
• Correctional electronic medical records
• CMBHS (Columbus, Clinical Management for
  Behavioral Health Services)
• State health information architecture
• House Bill 921 (80R)
• Interagency interoperability

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Planning and Policy DevelopmentFederal

• April 2004 State of the Union address
• Creation of the Office of the National
  Coordinator for Health Information Technology
• Ongoing federal health IT initiatives
• Public-private dialogue (AHIC)
• Certification and standardization (CCHIT HITSP)
• Health information exchange pilots (NHIN)
• Privacy security (HISPC)

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Planning and Policy DevelopmentState

• Health Information Technology Advisory Committee
• State-level health IT functions
• Template for regional development
• Provider-centric recommendations
• Consumer-centric recommendations

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Planning and Policy DevelopmentState

• Health Care Policy Council
• Intra-state coordination
• Federal liaison
• Gulf Coast Health IT Task Force
• State Alliance for eHealth
• Health IT resource

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Planning and Policy DevelopmentState

• Health IT principles
• Patient focused
• Market-based solutions
• Regional solutions
• Incrementalism

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Planning and Policy DevelopmentState

• Health Care System Integrity Partnership
• Executive Order RP-61
• Advisory committee of stakeholders
• Charged with developing the finance and
  governance structures for a new public-private
  collaborative
• Texas Health Services Authority

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Planning and Policy DevelopmentState

• Texas Health Services Authority
• House Bill 1066 (80R)
• Legislative charter
• Non-profit corporation
• Promoting and coordinating electronic health
  information exchange

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What does the future hold for health IT in Texas?

• Texas Health Services Authority
• State Health Information Architecture
• Private-sector developments

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Options for Action

• Personal health records
• Develop and/or maintain at arms-length
• Lack of trust
• Health record banking
• Automated interfaces/population
• Lack of use
• Significant potential
• Engage in state and regional health IT planning
• Invest in state and regional health IT projects

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TEXAS HEALTH CARE POLICY COUNCIL

• Stephen Palmer
• Health Policy Advisor
• Texas Health Care Policy Council
• stephen.palmer_at_governor.state.tx.us
• [phone]
• www.governor.state.tx.us/divisions/bpp/thcpc