[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 133 (Wednesday, September 17, 2014)]
[Senate]
[Page S5704]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  SENATE RESOLUTION 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

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

                              S. Res. 555

       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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