E-Health and the National
Health Information Infrastructure

Major E-Health goals for improving the health care system in the U.S. are improving patient safety, improving the interoperability of health information systems, and improving the capability for exchanging patient information while increasing the effectiveness and containing costs.  Other critical goals include protecting the privacy of personally-identifiable health records and preventing discrimination based on genetic information.

IEEE-USA also supports policies aiding the transition from our current state of disconnected health information systems to a National Health Information Network (NHIN) that will make use of leading-edge networking technologies, such as web services, mobile communications, and multimedia communications to provide secure and reliable transport of healthcare information.

IEEE-USA Position Statements

• Enhancing the Effectiveness of the Public Health System Against Terrorist Threats Through the Use of Information Technologies (Nov. 2004)
• Home Healthcare Technologies (Nov. 2004)
• Homeland Security Operations and Use of Personally Identifiable Health Information (June 2005)
• Improving the Health Care System Through Use of Information Technologies (June 2002)
• National Health Information Network, with Emphasis on Security and Privacy Issues (June 2005)
• Nondiscrimination in Employment Based on Genetic and Other Health Information (Aug. 2002) 
• Quality of Health Information on the Internet (Nov. 1999)
• Voluntary Healthcare Identifier (June 2004)

• Statement to the House Subcommittee on the Federal Workforce and Agency Organization for a hearing on the Federal Family Health Information Technology Act of 2006 (H.R. 4859) (15 March 2006)
• Letter to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions endorsing the Wired for Health Care Quality Act (S. 1418). (8 August 2005)
• Statement concerning Health Information Technology for the record of a 30 June 2005 hearing by the Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Technology Innovation & Competitiveness (8 July 2005)
• Letter to Senate Majority Leader Frist urging passage of a patient safety bill and endorsing the General Principles for Patient Safety Reporting Systems. (24 June 2005)
• Letter to Administration officials supporting formation of the National Health Information Infrastructure. (24 June 2005)
• Letter to House and Senate sponsors indicating support for the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2005 (S.306/H.R. 1227)(21 April 2005)

IEEE-USA has also joined the Coalition for Genetic Fairness to advance our support for genetic non-discrimination. 

Legislative Outlook

ACTION ALERT:  House Considering Genetic Non-Discrimination in Insurance Bill — The House of Representatives is considering a bill that would ban insurance companies from discriminating based on genetic information. The bill, H.R. 1227, specifically prohibits insurance companies from basing coverage decisions or premiums on a person’s genetic make-up or that of their family. The bill has broad bipartisan support, but must overcome some procedural hurdles to become law. On February 17, the Senate’s companion bill, S. 306, passed by a vote of 98 – 0, confirming its strong bipartisan support.  Grassroots support will be key to getting the House to act.

Pending Legislation

Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2007 (H.R. 493) by Rep. Louis Slaughter (NY)

Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2007 (S. 358) by Sen. Olympia Snowe (ME)

Congressional Hearings

"The Last Frontier: Bringing the IT Revolution to Healthcare.", 29 Sept. 2005 Hearing by the House Government Reform Committee.

Health Information Technology, 30 June 2005 Hearing by the Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Technology, Innovation and Competitiveness

Government Reports & Information
 

Forthcoming.

Other Resource Links

IEEE-USA Medical Technology Policy Committee

National Health Information Infrastructure (HHS)

Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONCHIT/HHS)