H.R. No. 202
 
 
 
R E S O L U T I O N
         
  WHEREAS, Texas recognizes that its success in the coming
 
  decades relies on the health and welfare of its citizens; and
         
         WHEREAS, Texas also recognizes that our great nation and its
 
  citizens, including hardworking Texans, are devoting
 
  ever-increasing amounts of their budgets to meeting the rising
 
  costs for healthcare; and
         
         WHEREAS, A portion of our healthcare costs comes from
 
  preventable medical errors that occur because healthcare providers
 
  cannot get immediate access to the health information they need,
 
  and this lack of access further causes many Americans, including
 
  Texans, to undergo unnecessary diagnostic tests and procedures that
 
  further increase their healthcare costs; and
         
         WHEREAS, Greater adoption and utilization of healthcare
 
  information technology can improve the quality, safety, and
 
  efficiency of healthcare for all Texans, while also reducing their
 
  costs; and
         
         WHEREAS, Texas policy makers have recognized the importance
 
  of healthcare information technology for all Texans through their
 
  formation of the Texas Health Services Authority to increase
 
  awareness of and support for the greater adoption of healthcare
 
  information technology, the creation of a statewide health
 
  information exchange, the promotion of policies and practices that
 
  support the private, safe, and secure exchange of health
 
  information to benefit Texas citizens, and the promotion of
 
  collaborative partnerships among nonprofit entities and all
 
  professionals to foster healthcare information technology
 
  adoption, and through the creation of Texas Regional Extension
 
  Centers to assist healthcare providers across Texas to adopt
 
  electronic health records; and
         
         WHEREAS, On January 26, 2011, the Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth,
 
  San Antonio, and South Central Texas chapters of the Healthcare
 
  Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS), the College of
 
  Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME), the American
 
  Health Information Management Association (AHIMA), and the Texas
 
  Health Institute are joining the Texas Healthcare Information
 
  Technology Forum; designed to improve public awareness through
 
  education, the forum provides an opportunity for citizens,
 
  organizations, and policy makers to discuss and promote the
 
  importance of healthcare information to all; now, therefore, be it
         
         RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas
 
  Legislature hereby recognize January 26, 2011, as Texas Healthcare
 
  Information Technology Day, commend participants at the Texas
 
  Healthcare Information Technology Forum for attempting to raise
 
  awareness through education, and honor those individuals
 
  responsible for furthering the adoption of healthcare information
 
  technology throughout the state.
 
  Zerwas
 
  ______________________________
  Speaker of the House     
 
         I certify that H.R. No. 202 was adopted by the House on
  January 26, 2011, by a non-record vote.
 
  ______________________________
  Chief Clerk of the House