Monday, November 21, 2005
Government Pushes for Keychain Medical Records
Filed under: Public Health
, Society
The AP is reporting on the US Senate's encouragement of electronic medical record keeping, in the form of a USB-style key chain.
People could carry their medical records around their necks or on key chains through technology being encouraged in a bill passed Friday by the Senate."When they go to the doctor's office they won't have to take that little clipboard and figure out whatever it is that they can remember about their health," said Sen. Mike Enzi, R-Wyo.
The Wired for Health Care Quality Act encourages the Health and Human Services Department to form a public-private partnership to identify ways to streamline the health care system's information technology. Hospitals and other health care providers could apply for grants to help them implement new technologies.
It sounds very vague and underpowered. But we never expected that, in 2005, we'd be copying medical information by hand off pill bottles that patients bring to the emergency department. Something needs to happen.
Then again, given the frequency that people lose their keys, maybe the VeriChip implant is the way to go. The article pointed out that sixty Americans now have the chip -- looks like others could use some encouragement.
More of the S-1418 bill...
Senator Enzi's press release...
RAND Corporation study: the U.S. healthcare system could save lives as well as $162 billion annually with widespread adoption of healthcare information technology. More...
Flashback: Fireball KeyPoint Crypto Mobile Storage...
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