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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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State
Rep. Mark Cohen |
  
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Cohen bill would improve patient care through technology
HARRISBURG, May 22– State Rep. Mark Cohen, D-Phila., is introducing legislation that would offer financial assistance to health-care facilities that use medical safety automation systems as part of patient care.
Medical safety automation systems ensure the secure exchange of health-care information among patients, physicians and medical facilities through computer networks. Cohen's bill (H.B. 2564) would authorize state grants to assist health-care providers implement and use the technology.
Cohen said health information technology makes it easier to coordinate proper care and services for patients while maintaining their privacy. It also is recognized to improve the quality of care and lower medical costs by reducing medical errors, ensuring more accurate information and reducing instances of inappropriate care.
"People who can communicate with medical professionals electronically will save on the cost of a visit," Cohen said. "Systems that integrate information from pharmacies, physicians and laboratories into readily accessible records also save time and money. While this technology has immediate use, it also would prove invaluable during a health emergency such as a disease outbreak or a bioterrorist attack."
Health-care providers would be able to use the grant funding to purchase the technology and provide the personnel training required for the systems. Cohen said the systems would need to comply with standards set by the federal Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology.
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