The 463: Inside Tech

Paper Kills

Former House speaker and firebrand Newt Gingrich is on another warpath. He's the founder of the Center of Health Transformation and is calling for a "total transformation of the healthcare industry" powered by informations technology says Danielle Belopotosky at National Journal's Technology Daily (subscription site).

Gingrich says that "electronic health records and the ability of healthcare technology systems to share information are keys to minimizing errors, reducing inefficiencies and improving care."

"Paper kills.  Show me a paper system and I'll show you a person dying needlessly," said Newt.

Tech: Helping Solve the Health Care Crisis?

National Journal Technology Daily's Danielle Belopotosky  today reports on what may be one of the bigger technology policy issues in the next decade:  Creating a standardized information technology system for the health care industry that allow all key parties to communicate and share information.

Think about it.  Technology has transformed key drivers of the economy like financial services, education and manufacturing, but it has barely made a dent in making our health care system more productive.