Institute of Medicine Report Calls for Greater Oversight of Health IT

On November 8, 2011, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) released a report on the state of health information technology (IT) that has received mixed reactions from the healthcare community. The report, titled Health IT and Patient Safety: Building Safer Systems for Better Care, was commissioned by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to help evaluate safety risks associated with health IT.

The report observes that, although health IT can have a positive impact on healthcare quality and patient safety, some products can create new hazards. In the report, IOM defines health IT as covering a broad range of products, including electronic health records, health information exchanges, and personal health records; however, it excludes software for medical devices. It goes on to outline recommendations for improving the safety and effectiveness of health IT. These recommendations largely focus on the need to develop a systematic approach to health IT...