I think it’s great that the federal budget proposed on Monday, February 10, 2010 included $110 million for healthcare IT. But is the money going where we need it and is it enough? OK, you’re right. I’m asking the question because I don’t think so.

The money is earmarked to strengthen healthcare IT policy coordination and research activities. But providers are still wanting funds in the form of grants and loans. The investment required to implement a full EHR is significant – hundreds of thousands for physicians and millions for hospitals. The $20.6 billion to be spent over the next 10 years (allotted in February 2009) is to advance adoption, but again – show us the money!

The president’s fiscal year 2011 budget includes $78 million, an increase of $17 million, for the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) to advance the adoption of electronic health records. According to HHS, the increase will enable ONC to lead and coordinate federal health IT efforts, while implementing and evaluating Recovery Act health IT programs.

Obama wants to improve care coordination and patient safety. He wants to see IT help. IT should also be used to prevent duplicate testing and promote evidenced-based medicine. But hospitals are still trying to decide is spending the money now worth it when the stimulus money is small and won’t be available up front to help implement. As I said in a previous blog, don’t hesitate on this.

But the money being thrown at the “solution” is just small potatoes. Let’s see some real meat to encourage hospitals to start spending.

-Jeff Kerber
Director, General Consulting
http://www.inteck-inc.com/arraservices.html