Senate Panel Mulls Over Healthcare Technology Fund Bill

A Senate committee is considering legislation to create the Health Information Technology Fund. Creation of the Fund was called for by Governor Matt Blunt in his State of the State Address. This fund would be used solely to promote technological advances to improve patient care, decrease administrative burdens, and increase patient and health care provider satisfaction. Senate Majority Leader Charlie Shields of St. Joseph, who co-sponsors the legislation, says paperwork costs time and money, and sometimes leads to serious mistakes. Doctor Shawn Griffin of St. Joseph, testifying before the panel, agrees the health care industry must get away from paper and embrace the technology. Technological programs or improvements could include such things as electronically transferable medical records, E-prescribing, telemedicine, and telemonitoring.