As is the wont of governmental institutions, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) will be conducting a one-year, million-dollar study of HIT’s use and its affect on patient safety. While most would agree it’s self-evident that using EHR’s will result in greater patient safety, the study’s findings should help direct the evolution of EHR and HIE.

According to the HHS press release, “the study will examine a comprehensive range of patient safety-related issues, including prevention of HIT-related errors and rapid reporting of any HIT-related patient safety issues. It will make recommendations concerning the potential effects of government policies and private sector actions in maximizing patient safety and avoiding medical errors through HIT.”

The press release and more information can be found here.