Discuss the following:
The use of health information technology (HIT) has increased dramatically over the past decade, resulting in the federal government enacting several pieces of legislation such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996 and the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act of 2009. Answer the following:
1. Discuss the financial and health benefits that can be realized by implementing an electronic health record (EHR).
2. Research and explain the estimated cost of implementing an EHR and the estimated cost of managing an EHR over the long run.
3. Discuss current security concerns surrounding HIT and the EHR.
4. Choose one piece of federal legislation (e.g., HIPAA, HITECH Act, Meaningful Use, etc.), and discuss the requirements that legislation imposes on the use of HIT and the EHR.