HEALTH INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY BILL CLEARS ASSEMBLY 

Measure Would Improve Quality of Health Care, Access to Patient Information

(TRENTON) - The Assembly today passed legislation Assemblymen Herb Conaway, Jr., M.D., Upendra Chivukula and Vincent Prieto sponsored to enhance the quality of health care delivered to New Jersey residents through a health information technology (HIT) system.

"Improving access to health records for patients and medical practitioners would ensure that every patient receives the best care each and every time they seek medical attention," said Conaway (D-Burlington/Camden), a practicing physician.  "Our paramount goal should be to do all that we can to reduce medical errors that can threaten the health and safety of New Jersey medical patients.  This health information sharing network will better coordinate the care of a patient among hospitals, emergency rooms, clinics, nursing homes, pharmacies, and health care professionals."

The "New Jersey Health Information Technology Promotion Act" (A-4044) would establish the state's first electronic medical records infrastructure and create a Health Information Technology Commission to oversee the development, implementation and oversight of the program.

"This will go a long way in continuing to advance the quality of health care for all New Jersey residents through a secure and integrated medical records system," said Chivukula (D-Middlesex).   "We need a comprehensive network to improve patient care, health policies and efficiency in research while cutting administrative costs and increasing our state's emergency preparedness. 

"It's time New Jersey takes the first step into the future of medical care by replacing paper records with the efficiency of electronic medical records," said Prieto (D-Hudson).

"Health Information Technology can save New Jersey over three-quarters of a billion dollars," said Conaway.  "Electronic medical records also have the potential to cut-down on fraud and the misuse of New Jersey's health care resources."

Thomas Edison State College released a 1994 healthcare information networks and technology study that showed that New Jersey could save as much as $760 million by migrating from paper-based systems to an electronic network.

The 19-member Health Information Technology Commission would be established within the Department of Health and Senior Services to oversee the creation and functions of a state-wide health information technology plan, with the assistance of the Department of Banking and Insurance, which will institute an Office for the Development, Implementation and Deployment of Electronic Health Information Technology, which shall be known as the "Office for e-HIT".  The commission would be charged with promoting the use of national standards for the state's HIT system including security, privacy, data content, format, vocabulary and information transfer standards.

The commission would include:

• The commissioner or a representative from the state departments of Health and Senior Services, Banking and Insurance, Human Services and Treasury;
• 19 members of the public, including representatives from professional health care organizations from across the state including,  one general practitioner physician, one physician who represents an acute care teaching hospital, and one physician from a non-teaching acute care hospital.   

The commission also would have access to assistance and services from any state agency as needed.

The "New Jersey Health Information Technology Promotion Act" passed the Assembly and the Senate 77 to 3.  It now heads to the Governor, who may decide to sign it, veto it, or modify it in the form of a conditional veto.

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