Political Quotes

“the evidence showing the ability of health IT to reduce costs and improve quality of care is simply overwhelming. That is why Senator Olympia Snowe and I are reintroducing our Health-Tech legislation to accelerate the adoption of health information technology. Businesses across the country are struggling to remain competitive in a global market with skyrocketing health care costs. The use of electronic medical records could save more than $80 billion annually, reducing costs for businesses and taxpayers alike. We should be putting these systems in place immediately! And, despite the best doctors, nurses, hospitals, and other health care providers in the world, some patients just are not getting the care they need. Often times that is because our health care providers do not have the information they need about their patients, when they need it and where they need it. And, our health care system are not currently set up to prevent errors; the most common medical errors include medication errors and the extra costs of treating drug-related injuries amount to at least $3.5 billion a year. As compelling as the cost savings is the promise health IT holds for improving the quality of our health care system. Getting health IT into the hands of our doctors, hospitals, nursing homes and community clinics will mean patients get the care they need, at the right time, and in the best setting. The value of health IT--saving lives and saving money--is well-known.”