Member of Obama’s campaign health care advisory committee cites private sector increase in computer-based health records systems

Glen Tullman, CEO of Allscripts and a member of Obama’s campaign health care advisory committee, cited the need to cut costs and reduce the risk of medical errors as reasons for an increase in physician and hospitals switching to computer based health records. “According to Tullman, Allscripts, the largest U.S. provider of software to physicians, has seen a fivefold increase in the number of physicians who are using electronic prescribing technology.” Tullman also noted that CMS has modified its Medicaid and Medicare reimbursement payments to include a 2% incentive to encourage hospitals to upgrade their records systems with health IT and a 2% penalty within two years for hospitals that do not adopt health IT (Bloomberg, 12/9). Read more here.