Health Information Technology

Colorado is emerging as a leader in the area of health information technology (HIT) on a national level and the Governor's Office of Information Technology (OIT) has been actively involved since 2007. The State CIO led the cross-sector HIT Advisory Committee which was created pursuant to Senate Bill 07-196 to develop a long range plan for statewide health care information technology issues. Committee goals included:

• Strategies for incorporating HIT into the health care delivery system
• Changes to state legislation for consistency between state and interstate levels for advancing HIT interoperability
• Changes to law to best support privacy and security in transmitting electronic health information both at state and interstate levels
• Strategies for correcting major deficiencies in information sharing in the health care delivery systems
• Direction for executive and legislative decision-making bodies to implement long-range plan
• Strategies for creating or obtaining funding and sustaining financial support for any approaches proposed by the Committee

The HIT Advisory Committee submitted its Report and Recommendations to the Legislative Council in 2009. The Report identified how Colorado could significantly reduce costs, improve patient outcomes and make the state's healthcare system more efficient and effective and also provided recommendations in four strategic areas: 

  * Promoting adoption and incorporation of HIT

  * Promoting interoperability and Healthcare Information Exchange (HIE)

  * Fostering implementation by Executive branch and policy makers

  * Engaging the private sector and expanding the use of HIT  

OIT's current work in the health IT arena is driven by federal health legislation. Colorado is in the process of responding to the recent enactment of two major pieces of federal health legislation, 1) the ARRA Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH), and 2) the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA). These two Acts have created significant opportunities and challenges for Colorado to expand and accelerate strategies for building statewide interoperability through a digital health information infrastructure. OIT and the Interagency Health Reform Implementation Board recognize that a broad response is needed to ensure that Colorado has the organizational infrastructure and information systems to support its goals for a high performing health care system. Leaders are revisiting initial HIT planning efforts and evaluating how to manage and take advantage of the demands being placed on states for leadership, resources, and effective planning and implementation of comprehensive HIT and health care reform strategies.

Combined efforts are underway across the state led by the Governor's Health Care Reform Initiative, OIT, and health and human services related departments to ensure that Colorado is strategically aligned for an effective and interoperable approach to health care reform and HIT implementation that meets the requirements of the federal legislation. A significant effort is being put into mobilizing topic-specific expertise and technical assistance to ensure the best infrastructure and technology are in place to support Colorado's health care reform and HIT goals. Special focus has been placed on gathering information to understand the current landscape across agencies and within the private sector, and analysis of salient issues, opportunities, challenges, potential impacts, and resource needs. A State HIT Program has been developed and stakeholders are being engaged as implementation strategies are developed and efforts to leverage all funding opportunities are pursued. With the current economic climate in the state, coordination to structure resources across agencies and identify opportunities to integrate with existing efforts has been a top priority to bring the greatest benefit to the State and the people of Colorado.