ABSTRACT
Government policymakers, healthcare professionals, and technology companies all have recognized the importance of the health information technology (HIT) market, and how potential technology could save money on healthcare costs while helping physicians to provide more efficient and effective care for their patients. Although a nascent framework has been established to support the widespread adoption of HIT tools in hospitals and physicians’ offices across the United States, significant barriers remain. HIT encompasses a wide variety of technologies and administrative systems that help track, manage, and share patient information electronically, rather than through paper records. Government policymakers, healthcare professionals, and technology companies all have recognized the importance of the HIT market, and how potential technology could save money on healthcare costs while helping physicians to provide more efficient and effective care for their patients. Privacy concerns and the risk of security breaches that disclose patients’ personal information are the paramount barriers to the widespread acceptance and usage of HIT systems and applications.
