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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Health Information Technology: Driving Policy through Technology

Ronald William Manderscheid, PhD1, David Tilley2, Tom Trabin, PhD3, Stephanie Oprendek, PhD4, Denny Morrison, PhD5, John Robinette2, and Kevin Scalia6. (1) Constella Group, Mental Health and Substance Use Programs, 10401 Fernwood Road, Bethesda, MD 20816, (2) Center for Health Information Technology, Constella Group, 6003 Executive Blvd., Suite 400, Rockville, MD 20852, (3) Software and Technology Vendors Association, 111, El Cerrito, CA 11111, (4) California Department of Mental Health, 111, Sacramento, CA 11111, (5) Center for Behavioral Health, 1111, Bloomington, IN 11111, (6) Executive Vice President of Corporate Development, 3500 Sunrise Highway, Ste. D122, Great River, NY 11739, 1-800-421-7503, kscalia@ntst.com

In today's health service environment, powerful forces converge to require that policy makers, providers, and health scientists search for strategies that can both increase the efficiency and effectiveness of health services and constrain cost escalation. Over 40 million Americans are without health insurance coverage. By 2015, more than $4 trillion, 20% of U.S. GDP, will be spent on provision of health services. The current political environment focuses attention on accountability and on market based solutions. Information technology has developed to the point that it might provide tremendous leverage toward increasing efficiency and effectiveness of health service delivery. This creates a context in which broad and active consideration of the interface between health information technology and delivery of health care services is a necessity. Pressing considerations include the technical feasibility of creating and maintaining an inclusive network of individual electronic health records (EHR) as a foundation for the delivery system; the feasibility of personal health records (PHR) as a basis for individual disease state self-management; the effects of these strategies on the quality and availability of health services; and, the long term effect of such strategies on overall public health.

This panel discussion will provide input form thought leaders on these issues in an interactive setting and encourage attendees to pose questions in real time to panel members.

Learning Objectives:

Keywords: Information Technology, Mental Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Not Answered

Handout (.ppt format, 99.5 kb)

Driving Mental Health Policy Through Information Technology

The 134th Annual Meeting & Exposition (November 4-8, 2006) of APHA