I.T. is It!

John Engler, President and CEO of the National Association of Manufacturers and former governor of Michigan, has a wonderful piece up on The Hill right now about the importance of health care Information Technology and the legislation supporting its implementation.

As the immediacy of skyrocketing gas prices and the economic instabilities of 2008 seem to have overshadowed health care in much of the political discussion surrounding the race for the White House, Mr. Engler reminds us of the importance of the long view.

We have covered the reasons why electronic medical records and other forms of health care IT are a necessary part of the overall equation on many occasions. What Mr. Engler reminds us is why it is imperative to push legislation through Capitol Hill immediately:

On Sept. 8, over 100 associations, businesses, unions, patient and provider groups signed a joint letter to Congress urging passage of health information technology legislation this year. Health IT has overwhelming bipartisan support in both the House and the Senate, and yet the American people are still waiting for Congress to act. [...]

The life-saving, cost-reducing benefits health IT legislation can deliver to the American public make its passage imperative this year. Next year, a new administration will take office and, in the shuffle, health IT legislation could stall, forcing Americans to wait even longer.

Once the transition to a new administration begins, many things will be in flux. One thing that will not change is our moral imperative as a nation to ensure access to health care and coverage to our fellow citizens.

Please take a moment and read Mr. Engler's piece and refresh your knowledge of exactly why this is such an important issue.

SOURCE: "Don’t let health IT legislation flatline " 09/11/08
photo courtesy of Paolo Margari, used under its Creative Commons license