According to a new report by Atlanta-based National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), states are moving at an unprecedented rate to get their healthcare systems wired and connected.
Lawmakers around the country introduced more than 370 bills relating to health information technology during an 18-month period between 2007 and 2008, the report says. Specifically, 132 bills containing HIT provisions were enacted in 44 states and the District of Columbia, three times as many bills enacted compared to the same period from 2005 to 2006.
The majority of bills relate to financing and planning efforts; six states enacted comprehensive measures aimed at protecting patient privacy while facilitating the exchange of health data.
NCSL is the bipartisan organization that serves the legislators and staff of the states, commonwealths and territories. It provides research, technical assistance and opportunities for policymakers to exchange ideas on the most pressing state issues and is an advocate for the interests of the states in the American federal system.
