[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 133 (Thursday, November 18, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2040]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          PROJECT INTELLICARE

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. JOHN T. DOOLITTLE

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, November 17, 2004

  Mr. DOOLITTLE. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise 
today to speak about Project IntelliCare, a groundbreaking innovation 
in health care delivery that will revolutionize the way health care 
providers manage patient care, in addition to imparting tremendous 
improvements in the quality of care available to Americans.
  As we all have undoubtedly read or witnessed in our districts, 
forecasts for the future of health care delivery are dire. Developments 
in medical technology have long been confined to procedural or 
pharmaceutical advances, while neglecting a most basic and essential 
component of medicine: patient information management.
  The information systems that maintain patient files and transmit care 
history are antiquated in many of our hospitals and clinics. In fact, 
many systems are still paper based. The result: a patient's complete 
medical history is difficult to transmit when necessary and may not be 
available to new health caretakers, leaving the physician with a 
limited understanding of prior illnesses, treatment, and complications. 
This, in turn, leads to unnecessary and redundant testing and treatment 
and greater health risks due to preventable errors.
  I would like to draw your attention to a May 3, 2004, New York Times 
op-ed by former Speaker Newt Gingrich and Congressman Patrick Kennedy. 
The writers correctly assert that information sharing may be one of the 
greatest issues facing health care provision today, expounding on 
escalating costs and medical mistakes attributed to an archaic 
information system. They urge for bipartisan support of ``moving 
American medicine into the 21st century'' by standardizing information 
systems with technology readily available today.
  Mr. Speaker, I am happy to report that the innovation discussed as 
``a matter of life and death'' has already arrived in the State of 
California. Project IntelliCare was first implemented by the Adventist 
Health System in 1999, over four years ago. The program is hailed by 
the Department of Health and Human Services as ahead of its time in 
Healthcare IT and is positioned to serve as a model for other systems 
throughout the country.
  Project IntelliCare employs cutting edge technology to provide 
seamless integration of a patient's whole medical history. Through this 
initiative, medical records are maintained electronically and securely, 
available only to the patient's health care provider. Project 
IntelliCare ensures that when a patient goes to visit a physician, 
regardless of when, where, or why, the patient will receive treatment 
that is current and relevant. No longer will those in need of medical 
help suffer from incomplete or inaccurate care.
  Project IntelliCare not only protects Americans from substandard 
health care, it promises more efficient and cost-effective delivery. 
Inflating health care costs and skyrocketing insurance premiums are 
highly salient issues today. Duplication or incorrect prescription of 
services places a large burden on insurance companies. Greater costs to 
insurance companies translate to higher premiums for employers that 
provide insurance, the selfemployed, and individuals who pay out of 
pocket for their health care. In addition, redundant or unnecessary 
care strains the capacity of health care providers. However, Project 
IntelliCare poses a mechanism to mitigate some of the factors that 
contribute to these higher costs.
  Project IntelliCare promises to modernize the way American health 
care is administered with tremendous benefits in quality of care, 
efficient, and cost-savings anticipated to accrue.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank you for the opportunity to speak on this 
important and exciting topic and urge my colleagues to support further 
funding for Project IntelliCare. By supporting this program, we work to 
collectively improve American health care standards and delivery.

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