Healthcare Providers Speak Up

Healthcare providers recently told the Subcommittee on Regulation, Health Care and Trade of the House Small Business Committee that federal investment and leadership are necessary to ensure that health information technology reaches the vast majority of patients who receive care from a small practice.

Although health information technology has demonstrated the ability to dramatically improve the quality and safety of patient care, few small medical providers can afford to implement these technologies because of financial, legal, and technical barriers.

Physicians described the lack of incentives for small providers to invest in health IT systems. Purchasing and installing an EHR system can be very expensive and while that system will no doubt lead to better patient outcomes, increased quality of care does not translate into financial gain that would allow providers to recoup their costs, much less provide an incentive to undertake the project.