Congressional Budget Office Releases Report on the costs and benefits of HIT

"Many people believe that health information technology (health IT) has the potential to transform the practice of health care by reducing costs and improving quality. In this paper, prepared at the request of the Chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) examines the evidence on the costs and benefits of health information technology, possible barriers to a broader distribution and use of it in hospitals and clinicians’ offices, and possible options for the federal government to promote use of health IT. In keeping with CBO’s mandate to provide objective, impartial analysis, the paper makes no policy recommendations."

PDF version of report available here.