Why do we need IHRTs?

There is a lot of effort going into enabling the exchange of health information. Better exchange of health information can lead to better quality of care for the individual, improvements in the processes revolving around care, and quality improvements resulting of aggregation of health data at the regionals and national level. When there is an increase in quality there may also be an opportunity to reduce cost.

Google, Microsoft, WebMD, and others you're familiar with: They are already trying to access a peice of that pie. But the number of companies engaging in public/private initiatives across the country is large and growing. Without appropriate legislation, there may be opportunities for abuse of your health information far beyond what you've experienced with credit card fraud. Will legislation make you safe? No, but it is better to start off with legislation, than to add it as an afterthought. People are already voluntarily entering health profile data in Google. I hope they are reading that fine print! With appropriate laws, we won't have to rely on the fine print nearly as much.

Participation in IHRTs by patients, doctors, and other providers, should remain voluntary. To improve quality and lower cost, participation should not be disuaded by concerns over security.