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WI budgets $10 million for electronic medical records

Patient Safety Monitor Alert, February 9, 2005

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Wisconsin's budget proposal includes $10 million for a grant and loan program to increase the use of electronic medical record systems, announced Governor Jim Doyle on February 4.

A new healthcare quality and patient safety board will create a plan to automate all healthcare information systems in the state by 2010, according to an article published by The Business Journal of Milwaukee. The board will award grants and loans to clinics, HMOs, hospitals, and physicians to help them purchase and put in place the systems.

"Care providers still often rely on paper charts written by hand to record the treatment of patients," said Doyle. "The use of electronic medical records systems can not only prevent deaths, but also eliminate much of the unnecessary administrative costs."

About 30% of healthcare spending is inappropriate, redundant, or unnecessary, according to David Brailer, MD, national coordinator for health information technology.

Wisconsin spends about $6 billion on unnecessary treatment of patients, according to The Business Journal of Milwaukee.

To read The Business Journal of Milwaukee article, click here.

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