The Diverse Benefits of Health IT

December 3, 2013

Categories: Thought Leadership

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Benefits of Health BlogOver the past few months the role of information technology in the health care industry has been especially topical.

And while the HealthCare.gov website’s continued refinement has been the public face of health care in America, what is less discussed is the diverse benefits that health IT brings to our everyday well-being and to the economics of health care management.

On a large scale, advancements in

Benefits of Health BlogOver the past few months the role of information technology in the health care industry has been especially topical.

And while the HealthCare.gov website’s continued refinement has been the public face of health care in America, what is less discussed is the diverse benefits that health IT brings to our everyday well-being and to the economics of health care management.

On a large scale, advancements in health IT allow individual states to leverage immense sets of data to increase administrative efficiency, decrease paperwork and instances of fraud, and get a better understanding of the communities they serve. In doing so, costs are being driven down while quality of care rises.

Somewhat surprisingly, widespread health IT is not all that new. In 1972, a law was enacted to incorporate state mechanized claims processing and information retrieval systems so that state governments were better able to service and handle information regarding Medicaid recipients.

Today, modernized Medicaid Management Information Systems are used to save the state and federal governments millions of dollars in management fees by utilizing cloud computing technologies and advanced analysis models that help health officials identify and meet public needs.

Meanwhile, IT is bringing convenience to an individual level that is changing the way we each interpret and interact with our health. Whether it is running, yoga, your calorie intake or cooking tips, there is an abundance of mobile apps that aid in tracking your overall health and fitness.

In 2014, the expansion of the Blue Button, a joint project by several government agencies, will allow even more individuals to have greater access to their health information. The Blue Button makes health information available online and through some mobile apps, so that users can use one common portal to find health providers and plans while also compiling key information on their health history.

As advancements in the scope and use of IT continues, we can expect greater efficiencies in how health care is managed by the public and private sectors as well as in the ways we interact with our own health.

How does IT help you manage your health? Tweet @CNSICorp to let us know! Follow CNSI on Twitter.