Health IT Report: Coordinating Patient Care Takes Back Seat to Processing Claims

Iria · Sep 18, 2005, 02:44 AM

Over the next five years, health information technology is likely to focus more and more on administrative functions like claims processing than on clinical functions, like viewing patient care and test results.

That's the conclusion of a group of Harvard Medical School faculty and clinicians established to predict the status of networked health information in the next five years.

The report also concluded that health IT's ability to help patients is hampered because providers have different IT capabilities.

Hospitals are rapidly adopting health IT, but when patients are discharged, electronic records don't move with them.

"The quality benefits of HIT systems will be limited as patients move from highly computerized settings to paper-based outpatient settings," the report stated. "These handoff points are particularly susceptible to errors."

The Harvard study compared a so-called model NHIN (national health information network) that could be in place within five years to the likely NHIN that would exist if health IT trends continue at their current rates.

Information technology for handling administrative functions is already much more advanced than IT for clinical functions, but this study shows the gap widening, particularly for home health agencies and skilled nursing facilities.
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Read More / Source: eWeek

Sep 18, 2005, 02:44 AM	#1
Iria DriverHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 7,275 Rep Power: 87	Health IT Report: Coordinating Patient Care Takes Back Seat to Processing Claims Over the next five years, health information technology is likely to focus more and more on administrative functions like claims processing than on clinical functions, like viewing patient care and test results. That's the conclusion of a group of Harvard Medical School faculty and clinicians established to predict the status of networked health information in the next five years. The report also concluded that health IT's ability to help patients is hampered because providers have different IT capabilities. Hospitals are rapidly adopting health IT, but when patients are discharged, electronic records don't move with them. "The quality benefits of HIT systems will be limited as patients move from highly computerized settings to paper-based outpatient settings," the report stated. "These handoff points are particularly susceptible to errors." The Harvard study compared a so-called model NHIN (national health information network) that could be in place within five years to the likely NHIN that would exist if health IT trends continue at their current rates. Information technology for handling administrative functions is already much more advanced than IT for clinical functions, but this study shows the gap widening, particularly for home health agencies and skilled nursing facilities. __________ Read More / Source: eWeek