[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 110 (Wednesday, July 11, 2007)]
[House]
[Page H7494]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         HEALTH-IT INTRODUCTION

  (Mr. MOORE of Kansas asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute.)
  Mr. MOORE of Kansas. Information technology has significantly changed 
the way we live and do business, making it easier to communicate with 
others, manage our personal finances or even track a package we ship 
across the country. Unfortunately, the health care industry lags far 
behind other sectors in its utilization of information technology. The 
inefficiencies and redundancies that result from this lack of 
automation costs the industry billions of dollars a year, but, more 
importantly, it costs lives and reduces quality of care.
  As Congress considers health care reform proposals, focus should be 
given to system changes providing patients with more choices, more 
convenience and control over their health care records. That is why 
today I will be introducing the Independent Health Record Trust Act. I 
will introduce this with Congressman Paul Ryan from Wisconsin, and we 
have over 30 original cosponsors, to establish a market-driven approach 
to building a national health information network through the 
establishment of federally certified organizations called Independent 
Health Record Trusts. Individuals would have the option to sign up for 
an account to be managed by a health record trust similar to the way 
banks offer and maintain credit card accounts. Patients will have 
ownership of their electronic records and can create multiple health 
entries so their dermatologist will not see their mental health 
history. We will be introducing this today. We hope for speedy passage 
through the Congress.

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