SOLUTIONS TO ELECTRONIC HEALTH RECORDS ADOPTION

The New England Journal of Medicine recently Released a Special Article "Use of Electronic Health Records in US Hospitals", which stated that "On the basis of Responses from 63.1% of Hospitals surveyed, only 1.5% of US Hospitals have a Comprehensive Electronic-Records System (i.e., present in all clinical units), and an additional 7.6% have a Basic System (i.e., present in at least one clinical unit).

Also another Recently Released Report by Booz Allen Hamilton "Liquidity of Information Flow" shows that even Countries such as England and Israel hat have over 80% Adoption of Electronic Health Records in Primary Care, still do not have Nationwide Interoperable Electronic Health Records (EHRs) Network.

What we need in the United States for a Nationwide Electronic Health Records INTEROPERABILITY, is a "Healthcare Business Drive National Network Infrastructure-HBDNNI"

Most of current Telecommunications Carriers Rely on Transport Networks Using T-1 Leased Lines or their onw Legacy Infrastructure. With the exponential growth in Internet Traffic every Year, as these Telecommunications Carriers double their Capacity, that also doubles their Costs. There is a Linear Relationship between Capacity ad Cost.

In order for the United States to Implement the INTEROPERABLE Nationwide Health Information Network (NHIN) proposed by former President George Bush, for a Nationwide Interoperable Electronic Health Records Network (network of "networks"), this Nation needs, a pure Packet-based, All Optical/IP, Multi-Service Transport Network, using Ethernet throughout the Networks.

The Business Benefits of such National Networks, include: e-Healthcare, e-Commerce, e-Education, Transportation Systems, Energy Systems, Entertainment, Social Networking, etc, etc.

President Obama's Stimulus Package provides, once in a life-time Opportunity, to Start Building this National Network of Networks Infrastructure. The following are some of the Business Benefits of such Network Infrastructure:

1. EHR Interoperability Solution: Focus on Interoperability or Exchange of current e-Prescription Drug Information, e-Laboratory Results, e-Medical Imaging (i.e., which is the beginning of "Common Communications Services FrameWork"

2. Certification: Support ONCHIT Certification Process and IHE Connectathons.

3. Protection of Patients' Medical Data: Congress should provide a Bill for Civil Liability for Breach of Patient's Privacy, Confidentiality, and Security. This effort should be coordinated with various States or Inter-State Patient Data Protection Laws/Regulations (i. e., Cross State Jurisdictional Issues, including Harmonized Interpretation of Inter-State Patient Data Protection Law/and or Legislative FrameWork for Patients' Personal Medical Information).

4. Healthcare WorkFlow: Workflow/SOA Solutions can provide reduced turnaround times, improved Common Communications Services between Team Members, and initiate operational events for action.

5. e-HealthCare Education: Provide Extensive Education/Training on Deployment, and Implementation/Support Services for Health Information Technology (HIT) products and and services.

President Obama's Stimulus Package Spending should include Funding for the Deployment of a new Nationwide Telecommunications Network Infrastructure with Packet-based, all Optical Networks. The Benefits of an IP-based Optical Network is that it serves as a Business Driver for: e-Commerce, Energy, Transportation Systems, e-Education, Healthcare, etc.

Most of the existing Telecom carriers Network arre based on T-1 Ciruits. Doubling the Network Capacity doubles the network Costs.