AUSTIN – State Rep. Dianne White Delisi (R-Temple) announced that Gov. Rick Perry had ceremonially signed House Bill 1066, the electronic health records (EHR) bill. This bill moves Texas forward in reducing medical errors and the duplication of health care services, thus saving both dollars and lives.


"This legislation establishes a public-private partnership to jumpstart Texas' efforts to have a seamless EHR system in place," Rep. Delisi said. "One of the biggest barriers to EHR adoption has been the need to have all the key stakeholders sit at one table to plan and implement. This legislation creates an expert panel and charges them with moving EHR forward in a collaborative manner."


Delisi notes that a seamless system of electronic medical information available to medical professionals in real-time has the potential to save both lives and money.


"An emergency room physician is often presented with unconscious patients they have never seen before," Delisi said. "Having the ability with a seamless EHR network to rapidly obtain medical histories, previous laboratory results, and prescribed medications has obvious benefits. It can led to better care and avoided duplication."


Delisi also pointed out that a fully interoperable EHR network is one primary goal for effective hurricane preparedness. A major storm may force hundreds of thousands of patients to be uprooted on short notice – and leave their paper medical records underwater.


Governor Rick Perry has long been a supporter of furthering the use of EHR technology and was pleased to sign House Bill 1066.


“Greater use of information technology in the health care system will reduce administrative costs and improve the quality of health care in Texas,” said Gov. Rick Perry. “I thank Representative Delisi for her leadership on passing HB 1066, which greatly promotes the development of an electronic health information sharing infrastructure for the state’s health care system.”


The signing ceremony, held in the Governor's Public Reception Room at the Capitol, was attended by a number Texas A & M medical students from Rep. Delisi's House District 55. These students are learning how to effectively use EHR technology as part of their training to be the physicians.


"House Bill 1066 will help to assure that when these new doctors see patients, they will be able to have access to a statewide EHR network to help them provide better care," Delisi concluded. "These medical students are the future of medicine and EHR will be one of their available tools."


Delisi also furthered EHR in Texas in Senate bill 10, which she sponsored in the House. The legislation spurs the integration of health care information technology into the Medicaid program. This legislation was previously signed by the governor at a ceremony held in Fort Worth on June 14.

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