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The American Medical Association (AMA) has expressed support for advancing health information technology (HIT) in physician offices, while urging Congress to make privacy and security of patient information a top priority and called for funding assistance to implement HIT into physician practices. The AMA submitted its stance in a statement to the House Committee on Small Business Subcommittee on Regulations, Healthcare and Trade.

"We share the widespread optimism over the promise that HIT holds for transforming patient care if properly developed and carefully integrated into the existing health care delivery system," said William G. Plested, MD, AMA President. "If carefully structured, HIT has the potential to raise the overall quality and safety of patient care."

Protecting patients' privacy and security is a top concern of physicians, and the AMA encourages Congress to make those issues a top priority when creating an HIT infrastructure

"Safeguarding the privacy and confidentiality of patient information is a professional responsibility that physicians take very seriously," said Dr. Plested. "When a patient's private and sensitive health care information can be made public with the touch of a button, it is imperative that adequate privacy and security standards and protections be developed."

A common barrier to HIT implementation in physician practices, especially smaller practices, is the significant cost. The AMA strongly urges Congress to consider direct means to assist physicians, such as grants, low-interest loans, increased reimbursement for the use of HIT, accelerated depreciation for HIT investments, tax credits, and other economic incentives. A study by Robert H. Miller found that initial electronic health record costs were approximately $44,000 per physician with ongoing costs of about $8,500 annually. A report by the Congressional Research Service estimates similar per physician cost, with HIT start-up costs ranging from $16,000 to $36,000.

"The decreasing revenue from public and private payers, high medical liability insurance premiums, and state and federal mandates, make the cost associated with implementing HIT a significant impediment for physicians," said Dr. Plested.

"Despite the complexity and cost of developing a national health information network, physicians are optimistic about the transformative power that adoption of this technology promises for the future of patient care," said Dr. Plested.