Stimulating Health Care

" Billion dollars in the stimulus package will go to modernizing their health care system in America. Here's what the president had to say on that issue. We're taking the most meaningful steps in years towards modernizing our health care system. It's an investment that will take the long overdue step of computerized and America's medical rights. To reduce duplication and waste the cost billions of health care dollars. And medical errors the cost thousands of lives each year. So will the president's goal become a reality but let's hear now from Peter Newport he has vice president of Microsoft's. Health solutions group. In a welcome to the program. I hate you you think we will see money trickle down to firms like yours to invest in new health care software technology."

" Well the nineteen billion split into two pieces seventeen billion and incentives for providers and hospitals. And two billion to the new office the national chairman for information -- help -- technology. At his discretion or her discretion and yet money's going to flow it's going to take time. The incentives the first seventeen billion it's all in incentives. Most of that won't even start to flow until -- eleven. But it certainly has stimulated both the vendor industry and the provider community. To figure out how to start getting ready to spend more and invest more in information technology. Well I I'd I guess the good news is that we've we might get started on something the bad news that doesn't sound like it's gonna make a difference for Microsoft or others in -- industry for a couple of years. Well it's a complicated problem. It takes time for people to figure out how to do work flows and make changes. But there really aren't lots of things that people can do now. Electronic health information medical records or physician order entry which is what the incentives are designed to do. Is are important but perhaps not the most important thing there's a lot of digital data today medication lists labs images. The most important thing is to get that moving. And I think the best place to get that moving is to get consumers to have control over their own health information. And to really think about. Personal health records consumer controlled personal health records and enable consumers to start today. Using their information to deal with those issues that the president mentioned Peter I wish -- continue to discussion we took the president's Merrill news conference as we gotta cut a little bit short. Love to have you back on soon to continue this health care. One of the biggest about the biggest issue facing Americans right now appreciate you joining us. Great thank you Peter -- Microsoft's health solutions group."