Focusing on value-driven health care

HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt recently posted an update on his organization’s progress in the realm of electronic health records (EHR) and stimulating technology adoption.

And while the activities of CCHIT and other organization have had a significant impact, a number of challenges remain:

The number of hospitals and larger physician practices employing electronic medical records has grown. However, we continue to have a serious challenge with small- to medium-sized practices where fewer than 10 percent of these practices currently have health IT systems.

To get there from here, Leavitt advises, the US must begin to focus on “value-driven health care.”