Feds want IT tool kit for docs

It's become conventional wisdom that IT health records will improve medical care, reduce costs and make life better for patients and doctors.

The Obama administration is pumping millions of dollars into this effort, saying it is crucial to health reform. Now the respected U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality is getting into the act, announcing that will study how physician practices' work flows are affected by adopting health information technology.

The aim of the study is to come up with an "electronic tool kit" to help small and medium-sized practices incorporate digital information and electronic health records into their routine, and do so in an effective way.

In effect, it is looking to set standards for healthcare processes that can be used as a guide for doctors to use the technology in a way that makes sense. Sometimes, the smartest ideas come out of the littlest agencies working in the shadows to bring better IT to the world.

For more on the IT tool kit:
 - check out this Federal Computer Week article