NKU plays a key role in Kentucky's ambitious ehealth agenda

Tuesday, January 20, 2009 | Source: SOAPBOX

Kentucky doctors will soon have access to the cutting edge of health information technology at their fingertips.

Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear and Lt. Gov. Daniel Mongiardo have just announced that Kentucky is launching the state of the art Kentucky Health Information Exchange, which will allow doctors to obtain instantaneous, complete medical histories of their patients when making critical decisions.

And Northern Kentucky University (NKU), alongside the University of Louisville and the University of Kentucky, is playing a significant role in developing this information infrastructure.

“E-health is the next major frontier in healthcare delivery,” says NKU President, Dr. James C. Votruba. “With this in mind, NKU is making a major investment in e-health and we’re excited about working with partners across the commonwealth on behalf of a brighter future for all Kentuckians."

This statewide health information web network will save time and lives by eliminating duplicate procedures and improper drug treatments, as indicated by patients' health records, which will also boost privacy in their improved digital format.

“This initiative – to create a statewide information exchange – is an important first step in making Kentucky a national leader in the emerging e-health movement,” Gov. Beshear says.

Lt. Gov. Mongiardo cites the health industry's sluggish adoption of information technology as one factor contributing to its often exorbitant cost in the US.

“The banking industry is 20 years ahead of health care in implementing information technology,” Lt. Gov. Mongiardo says.

President Obama has responded by pitching a plan to invest $50 billion in health information technology over the next five years. Estimates suggest that a $10 billion stimulus investment in the health industry would create up to 212,000 jobs, half of which would fall into the small business and high-paying, high-tech industries.