Federal health information policy: a case of arrested development

Abstract

Computerized patient records (CPRs) have reached a state of technical maturity that makes them an essential component of modern patient care. However, because uniform technical standards do not exist, CPRs constructed by different vendors do not convey clinical information easily from provider to provider. Moreover, unequal access to capital may mean a two-tier clinical information environment in the future. HIPAA, while important, did not anticipate the CPR revolution. New federal activism is required to assure not only interoperability of clinical data systems, but also that providers who lack capital and technical resources can make the needed digital conversion.