III 

113TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 247 

Designating the week of September 16 through September 20, 2013, as 

‘‘National Health Information Technology Week’’ to recognize the value 

of health information technology in transforming and improving the 

healthcare system for all people in the United States. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

SEPTEMBER 19, 2013 

Ms. STABENOW (for herself and Mr. THUNE) submitted the following 

resolution; which was considered and agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Designating the week of September 16 through September 

20, 2013, as ‘‘National Health Information Technology 

Week’’ to recognize the value of health information technology in transforming and improving the healthcare system for all people in the United States. 

Whereas health information technology has been recognized 

as an essential tool for improving patient care, ensuring 

patient safety, stopping duplicative tests and paperwork, 

and reducing healthcare costs; 

Whereas the Center for Information Technology Leadership 

has estimated that the fully realized implementation of 

national standards for interoperability and the exchange 

of health information could produce significant savings in 

healthcare costs; 


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•SRES 247 ATS 

Whereas the use of health information technology enables 

providers to utilize innovative tools to provide more efficient, personalized, and better coordinated care, and 

helps patients be more engaged in managing their own 

treatment; 

Whereas Congress has made a commitment to realizing the 

benefits of health information technology, including supporting the adoption of electronic health records that will 

help to reduce costs and improve quality while ensuring 

the privacy of patients; 

Whereas the adoption of electronic health records more than 

doubled for physician practices and more than quadrupled for hospitals between 2008 and 2012; 

Whereas it is necessary to continue improving the exchange 

of health information confidently and securely between 

different providers, systems, and insurers—a task that is 

foundational to transforming the healthcare delivery system of the United States; 

Whereas aligning the use of electronic health records with 

other reporting efforts is critical to improving clinical 

outcomes for patients, controlling costs, and expanding 

access to care through the use of technology; and 

Whereas, since 2006, organizations across the United States 

have united to support National Health Information 

Technology Week to improve public awareness of the benefits of improved quality and cost efficiency of the 

healthcare system that the implementation of health information technology could achieve: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 


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•SRES 247 ATS 

1 (1) designates the week of September 16 

2 through September 20, 2013, as ‘‘National Health 

3 Information Technology Week’’; 

4 (2) recognizes the value of information tech5 nology and management systems in transforming 

6 healthcare for the people of the United States; and 

7 (3) calls on all interested parties to promote the 

8 use of information technology and management sys9 tems to transform the healthcare system of the 

10 United States. 

Æ 


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