The aim of the collaboration will be to provide a forum that will make recommendations to the department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on how to speed the adoption of electronic health records (EHR) and other health information technology.
Our health care system is saturated with inefficiency, said Leavitt. Until we adopt modern information technology practices – like electronic health records, e-prescribing, and systematic adverse drug event reporting – we will not have cost-effective medical care in this country, and we will have far too many medical errors.
The Community will be governed by the Federal Advisory Committee Act and will have up to 17 voting members, which will include officials from HHS and other appropriate federal agencies, state government and the private sector.
The members will be expected to serve two-year terms and those who are not considered full-time federal employees will be paid a daily rate plus per diem. Private sector members who serve as special government employees will be subject to financial disclosure and conflict of interest requirements. Some private sector members may serve as industry representatives and will not be special government employees.
