The Promise of Better Quality, Lower Cost Health Care

The Promise of Better Quality, Lower Cost Health Care

in the U.S. Through Health Information Technology

By

Mister_E

Fall 2010

Submitted:

December 6, 2010

Title: The Promise of Better Quality, Lower Cost Health Care in the U.S. Through Health Information Technology

I. Introduction

A. Present State of U.S. Health Care

B. National Attempts to Improve US Health Care

1. Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act

2. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act

II. Characteristics and Components of Health Information Technology

A. Electronic Health Records

B. Clinical Decision Support System

C. Telemedicine

D. Management Information System

E. Radiology Information Systems

III. Using Clinical Decision Support Systems to Improve Health Care Outcomes and Lower Health Care Costs

A. Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology & Meaningful Use

B. The National Roadmap

C. The Future Vision for Projected Impact of Clinical Decision Support Systems on Quality and Cost

IV. Conclusion

V. References

Introduction

This paper begins by discussing the present state of the US Health Care System with regard to cost, quality, and access. The impact of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act upon the triple aim—cost, quality, and access is discussed next. A brief description of promising health information technology tools for tackling the cost and quality issues are discussed in the next segment. Finally, the discussion focuses on how clinical decision support systems can help improve health care quality and reduce the cost of delivering health care services.

Present State of the U.S. Health Care System

For years, the U. S. Health Care system has been touted as one of the best health care systems in the world. However, the US is one of a handful of industrialized nations that does not offer health care coverage for all its citizens. Three major problems that...