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Commonwealth Fund predicts HIT will save $88 billion

EHR Connection, January 7, 2008

The Commonwealth Fund says that increased capacity to share patient information electronically could result in a net savings of $88 billion over 10 years, according to its report, Bending the Curve: Options for Achieving Savings and Improving Value in U.S. Health Spending, released December 18, 2007.

The fund advocates accelerating provider adoption of HIT with capacity for decision support and sharing patient information across sites of care. It recommends financing adoption with an assessment of 1% on Medicare outlays and insurance premiums and predicts that net savings would accrue to all except private payers by the 10th year as HIT capacity improves. Private payers would realize cumulative saving in subsequent years.

The Commonwealth Fund describes itself is a private foundation whose goal is to promote a high performing health care system that achieves improved quality and greater efficiency, particularly for society's most vulnerable members-low-income people, the uninsured, minorities, young children, and elderly adults. It does so by supporting independent research on healthcare issues and providing grants to improve healthcare practice and policy.

Click here to read the report.

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