Oral

With the significant monies for Health Information Technology (HIT) in the stimulus package, we can expect the implementation of Electronic Medical Records (EMR) and other forms of HIT to accelerate rapidly over the next few years. As evidenced by the participants on the HIT Policy and Standards Committees, the interests of large employers, HIT vendors (both hardware and software), insurers, and health care institutions are well represented in the discussion of HIT. Despite the significant impact that HIT will have on the health care work force and the importance of an organized voice in designing and implementing effective HIT, the voices of health care workers are, for all intents and purposes, missing from the conversation. This session will examine the forces pushing for HIT implementation, the impacts of HIT on the healthcare work force and the provision of care, discuss alternative approaches to the design and implementation of HIT, and suggest federal policies that could greatly enhance the voice of the health care work force in technology decision-making and improve outcomes.

Session Objectives: 1. Describe and discuss the impacts of Health Information Technology on the health care workforce. 2. Explain the need for input from the health care workforce regarding the design and implementation of health care technology. 3. Describe and discuss potential federal policies that could greatly enhance the voice of the health care workforce in technological decision-making and improve outcomes.