"Health Care"

I just finished reading an excellent article from the washington post regarding health care and electronic records. What struck me as important and disconcerting was that no mention was made of this savior like technology that will save the medical INDUSTRY billions of dollars a year. How can the government and tax payers invest and subsidize yet another program without even know the who, what, where, when, and how on all of this. A simple solution would be to get back to doctors working directly with patients toward a common goal...Getting Healthy! This was however a great article on the Washington way of doing business. The $787 billion emergency, can't do without, necessary at all cost "stimulus" will actually be using a large chunk for this far off in the distance god send to the medical world technology. Through the back door again we are finding more and more of these pet projects being thrown in so the bureaucrats can feel better about themselves and push an agenda. Don't be fooled here though, we've got huge conglomerates involved as well. Using old school business tactics to make it appear as they are really holding our best interest near to their hearts, while at the same time making an obscene amount of money from this paradigm shift in medical technology. I have no issues with a business being profitable and gaining market share, just don't try to convince me that this is secondary to solving REAL health issues. The following are some highlights from the article. Enjoy.

"Such an approach would rely on unprecedented data-mining into medical records and the practices of doctors, a kind of surveillance that also would enable insurers to cut costs by controlling more precisely the care that patients receive." -Can you say invasion of privacy? data-mining? This is scary talk, and not just for conspiracy theorists, but for anyone who believes in civil liberties and a right to privacy. What goes on between me and my doctor should stay between me and my doctor!! What do the insurance companies know about practicing medicine?

"Many groups have been involved in the push for health information technology, including physician groups. At the center of those efforts is the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society. Started a half-century ago, it represents 350 companies and about 20,000 members. Corporate members include government contractors such as Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman, health-care technology giants such as McKesson, Ingenix and GE Healthcare, and drug industry leaders, including the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America...

"HIMSS has a very effective grass roots advocacy program that reaches all levels of government," Dave Roberts, a senior executive, said in the group's literature...

For a decade, the group has pressed Congress and other government officials to mandate and subsidize the adoption of health records technology." -So this professional society that is most adament about the change just happens to be made of companies and people that will benefit the most? Not that it's new or groundbreaking, but still should be noted. Look at the verb-age used here, "program that reaches all levels of government." That reads lobbyists and pay-offs at all levels of government to me. And then look at a classic washington maneuver at the end with mandating and subsidize, so they want to make everyone participate whether they like it or not and then tax the american people to pay for it. We do need serious change in the medical industry, but this is not it! Technology and practices that would be involved on this basis would make healthcare even more cold and inhumane than it already is. Can we please get back to human interaction and real caring about our fellow man? Money can still be made, and everyone would sleep better at night.

Thoughts and comments please.