Better Healthcare Through Information Technology Act

Bill: 109-s-1355
Sponsor: Sen. Enzi, Michael B. [R-WY]
Introduced: 2005-06-30 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Chronically ill
Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Commerce
Community health services
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Cost control
Curricula
Department of Health and Human Services
Economics and Public Finance
Education
Electronic data interchange
Executive reorganization
Federal aid to education
Federal aid to health facilities
Finance and Financial Sector
Government Operations and Politics
Government lending
Government publicity
Health information systems
Health planning
Higher education
Housing and Community Development
Information technology
Law
Medical economics
Medical education
Medical malpractice
Medical records
Medical research
Performance measurement
Preventive medicine
Public-private partnerships
Quality of care
Right of privacy
Rural health
Science, Technology, Communications
Standards
Strategic planning
Technological innovations

Summary:
action_date: 2005-06-30
text: 
Better Healthcare Through Information Technology Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to establish the Office of the National Coordinator of Health Information Technology to develop a nationwide interoperable health information technology infrastructure.
 
Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish the public-private American Health Information Collaborative to recommend to the President uniform policies to support the widespread adoption of health information technology and modifications to standards for the electronic exchange of health information. Requires the President to review and, if appropriate, provide for the adoption of such standards.
 
Prohibits any federal agency from expending federal funds to purchase hardware, software, or support services that are inconsistent with adopted standards. Requires all federal agencies collecting health data to comply with the adopted standards.
 
Requires the Secretary to develop criteria to: (1) ensure uniform and consistent implementation of any standards voluntarily adopted by private entities; and (2) ensure and certify hardware, software, and support services compliance with adopted standards.
 
Allows the Secretary to award grants to: (1) facilitate the purchase and enhance the utilization of qualified health information technology systems; and (2) carry out demonstration projects to develop academic programs integrating qualified health information technology systems in the clinical education of health professionals.
 
Requires the Secretary to: (1) develop quality measurement systems for the purposes of measuring the quality of care patients receive; and (2) study methods to create efficient reimbursement incentives for improving health care quality.
 
Requires the Secretary, acting through the Director of the Agency for Healthcare Quality and Research (AHRQ), to develop a Center for Best Practices for the effective use health information technology.
 
Allows the Director of AHRQ to establish a demonstration program to award grants or contracts to support health information network planning, implementation, and evaluation activities.
 
Amends the Social Security Act to allow physicians to receive financial support regarding the electronic exchange of health information.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2005-07-18
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S8420)
action_date: 2005-06-30
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (text of measure as introduced: CR 7/1/2005 S7842-7846)
action_date: 2005-06-30
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR 7/1/2005 S7840-7841)
action_date: 2005-06-30
text: Introduced in Senate