Realizing The Full Potential Of Health IT To Improve Healthcare For Americans: The Path Forward

In December 2010, the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) released a highly anticipated report providing detailed recommendations to the President of the United States and Federal Agencies about how to take better advantage of information technology to increase healthcare quality while reducing costs.

Reflecting input from industry and IT experts, privacy groups, healthcare professionals, and others, the report calls upon the Federal government to facilitate the widespread adoption of a “universal exchange language” that would allow the transfer of  pieces of health data while maximizing privacy. Such a system would allow people’s health data to follow them wherever they go, and help physicians provide the highest possible level of care, while giving patients unprecedented control over who has access to their information. At the same time, it can save the nation money by increasing efficiency and reducing redundancy.

You can download a copy of the full report from the Office of Science & Technology Policy (OSTP).