Information is the lifeblood of medicine and health information technology is destined to be the circulatory system for that information.

I resisted using EHRs while an internist in Boston, as I wrote in my blog, ‘Why Be a Meaningful User.’ Over time, however, I found that working with health IT made me a better and safer physician. Most importantly, my patients received better, safer care and improved outcomes.

One of the things that the Affordable Care Act has done, which is advantageous to consumers, is created marketplaces, where people can go online and comparison-shop. That was very hard to do before the Affordable Care Act, especially for people who had individual insurance policies.