One of the big topics of conversation this year at the Kaiser Permanente booth is this: Is health information technology really worth it?
A valid question. And Kaiser Permanente has data that answers that question with yes.
Beyond the way health IT supports coordinated care and offers ease and convenience to consumers, Kaiser Permanente has also linked it to improved health outcomes. Diabetes patients saw fewer emergency room visits after the implementation of KP HealthConnect (the organization’s electronic health record system). And secure email between patients and their doctors is associated with improvements in glycemic, cholesterol, and blood pressure screening and control.
For an illustration of these data points as well as other ways Kaiser Permanente is measuring the value of health IT, click on the image above.
