Statement of Principles on Health IT Exposed

The Statement of Principles on Health IT was adopted by ALEC's Health and Human Services Task Force at the Annual Meeting on July 25, 2007, approved by the ALEC Board of Directors August, 2007. According to ALEC.org, it was re-approved by the Board of Directors on January 28, 2013. (Accessed on 2/4/2016).

ALEC Bill Text

1. Health information technology (IT) is rapidly evolving and advancing toward its goal of improving quality of care, enhancing efficiency, and reducing costs.

2. To be effective, health IT systems must

a. be patient-centered and market driven;

b. be based on reasonable standards and sound policies developed with input from stakeholders including consumers, government, clinicians, hospitals, health plans, vendors, manufacturers, and others;

c. protect the privacy and security of all health information;

d. promote interoperability; and

e. ensure the accuracy, completeness and uniformity of data.

3. Widespread adoption of health information technology—critical to its success—can best be achieved if:

a. the market provides users with a variety of products from which to choose those best suited to their needs, providing that those products are interoperable;

b. there are incentives for providers to adopt the use of health IT and rewards for providers who improve health care quality and efficiency through the use of health IT;

c. system managers implement protocols for addressing critical problems such as the unauthorized disclosure of protected health information and inaccurate or incomplete data; and

d. the systems are financed by all who benefit from the increased quality, efficiency and savings that result from such technology—employers and other payers, state and federal governments, health plans, health care providers, and others.

Adopted by the Health and Human Services Task Force at the Annual Meeting, July 25, 2007.

Approved by the ALEC Board of Directors, August 2007.