[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 555 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]

113th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 555

  Designating the week of September 15 through September 19, 2014, as 
``National Health Information Technology Week'' to recognize the value 
  of health information technology in transforming and improving the 
      health care system for all individuals in the United States.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

           September 17 (legislative day, September 16), 2014

   Ms. Stabenow (for herself and Mr. Thune) submitted the following 
             resolution; which was considered and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Designating the week of September 15 through September 19, 2014, as 
``National Health Information Technology Week'' to recognize the value 
  of health information technology in transforming and improving the 
      health care system for all individuals in the United States.

Whereas health information technology is recognized as an essential tool for 
        improving patient care, ensuring patient safety, stopping duplicative 
        tests and paperwork, and reducing health care costs;
Whereas the Center for Information Technology Leadership estimates that a fully-
        realized implementation of national standards for interoperability and 
        the exchange of health information can produce significant savings in 
        health care costs;
Whereas the use of health information technology is essential to providing 
        coordinated care, expanding access to care, and improving the quality 
        and safety of mental and physical health care for all individuals in the 
        United States;
Whereas Congress has a vision for a national technology-enabled health care 
        system that--

    (1) provides access to care that is available at anytime and anywhere;

    (2) recognizes modern, multimodal health care delivery models;

    (3) establishes open standards for connectivity to core patient 
information between health information technology systems, devices, and 
emerging technologies; and

    (4) leverages technology solutions to analyze and improve treatment 
trends and highlight cost transparency to help combat fraud, waste, and 
abuse within Federal health programs;

Whereas portable health information, such as cloud-based computing and storage 
        systems that can process vast amounts of patient information for 
        personalized care, integrated consumer devices, and mobile medical 
        applications, are critical technologies for improving the health of all 
        individuals in the United States, creating high-demand jobs, and 
        stimulating market innovation;
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 health care 
        delivery system in 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 implementing health information technology to achieve the 
        benefits of improved quality and cost efficiency in the health care 
        system: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) designates the week of September 15 through September 
        19, 2014, as ``National Health Information Technology Week'';
            (2) recognizes the value of information technology and 
        management systems in transforming health care for individuals 
        in the United States;
            (3) encourages all interested parties to promote the use of 
        information technology and management systems to transform the 
        health care system of the United States; and
            (4) calls on all individuals in the United States to be 
        engaged in their mental and physical health by using health 
        information technology.
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