The Chilean unit of IBM
(NYSE: IBM) has called on president-elect Sebastián Piñera to speed up the
incorporation of IT in the healthcare sector.

 

 

 

 

The lack of laws regulating information exchange between domestic healthcare
institutions is handicapping industry efficiency and inflating costs, IBM Chile
solution architect Claudio Vergara told BNamericas.

 

"Citizens’ healthcare information has to be shared between different
hospitals," he said. "Today, if I go to ‘hospital A’ they will carry out an exam
there. But, if I then go to ‘hospital B’ they will carry out the same exam
again."

 

"How can this [integration] be supported? Through using technology to store
information in one location. Additionally, we need laws that allow the
information to belong to the patients, and not hospitals."

 

Vergara argued that greater information exchange in general can help
authorities monitor the spread of illnesses and understand their root causes.

 

The president of IT industry association Acti,
Miguel Pérez, recently told BNamericas that Piñera needs to announce more
explicit plans on applying technology to other industries, including healthcare.

 

"We need measures that increase productivity on the government, business and
personal levels," he said. "For example, the government could implement
electronic medical leave services."

Source: http://www.bnamericas.com/news/technology/Insufficient_information_exchange_in_healthcare_sector,_asserts_IBM